All Hands and Hearts - Disaster Relief Nonprofit

Program Louisiana has been wonderful! The community we are staying in is very supportive and the homeowners are so appreciative of our help (we get all sorts of food and dessert made for us). It can be a dirty job at times, but the volunteers make working fun. The staff and the volunteers have great attitudes and work ethic.

I have been volunteering with All Hands Volunteers for a year now and i can honestly say its one of the best organizations I've ever been with. You find your way to the program and they provide you with food, water, housing and the tools/training needed to be successful. Money is not asked just the determination to work hard. Its a great atmosphere to be in. The staff is very organized and work well with everyone. No prior skills are required.

Before heading down to Louisiana I had no idea what to expect, but once I arrived I realized the intense need for disaster relief there. I really loved the people that we were able to help, everyone had very moving stories. I enjoyed working with all of the amazing All Hands volunteers, they were all very knowledgeable and wanted to do all that they could in the area. Everyone is so invested in the program and want to do the best work possible.

If you have never done a volunteer trip like this, this is the perfect place to make that leap. Even if you have experience in the volunteer world, All Hands Volunteers is an amazing opportunity. They are a fun, lively bunch of hard working volunteers. You don't need any skills to start off, but I promise that by the end you know exactly what you're doing!! Once you start with All Hands it's hard to stop working with them. South Carolina has a really special community with a strong need that makes doing the dirty work 100% worth it. You'll leave exhausted and wanting more.

Finding a serious NGO that provides a FREE volunteer experience is an odyssey! All Hands is not only serious and transparent but also FREE and you don't have to have any specific background or nationality to be able to join. Everyone is welcome!

I will treasure forever my experience with AH in Nepal. The work we do directly impacts the community and you witness it first hand! Staff and volunteers are from all over the world and the fact that we become a huge family of around 70 people working together for a good cause, only makes it better!

Life on base can be pretty crowded but there is always interesting people to meet.

AH provides food and accommodation! Food can be spicy but it is amazing and Nepali style!

Work is hard for the first couple of days, but everyone can do it! After a couple of days out in the field your body gets used to it! You will definitely leave project with more muscles than when you arrived!

During my time in Nepal we cleared debris (rubble), built transitional shelters, worked with IDP camps (Internally Displaced Persons), built TLC (Temporary Learning Centers), built toilets, and did some demo... did I mention Rubble?

It is a great opportunity to see a different side of Nepal, get involved with the families and community, learn a bit of nepali, build up your tolerance to spicy food and get blessed by the families we are helping every time they have the chance!

All Hands Volunteers is an organization geared towards skilled and non-skilled volunteers looking to make a difference in disaster-affect countries. They have the right blend of volunteer experience and community impact.

My time in Nepal was a wonderful experience. We worked in rural areas - we were really out in the country. We met (and helped!) all sorts of local people.

The work was tough and physically demanding. You will sweat and become sore from moving rocks all day. The projects ranged from rubble to demolition to construction. AHV focused mainly on schools, shelter and site clearance. They had a few smaller projects here and there but most of the time was spent moving dirt and rocks from damaged homes. It was not easy, but that's what made it so gratifying!

The accommodations were not perfect but very nice. They provide 3 meals a day and a bed to sleep - for free! It's communal living and you get to meet all sorts of lovely individuals who have so many different backgrounds and stories. The people are a big part of what made this a great experience for me. AHV draws a unique person, someone who is looking for a challenge, a different adventure. It was a great way to really experience Nepal without falling into tourist traps. I've made some great friends who live around the world, which helps me plan my next adventure!

I cannot recommend AHV enough - it's a great organization with transparency and moral fiber.

My time spent on Project Nepal has completely changed my life. This was my first time seeing such destruction but also such hope. The team in Nuwakot is full of ambitious, loving and driven folks. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has put their heart and soul into making sure this is an experience where you walk away feeling positive and proud of what you've done. Everyone is on the same team and you feel that in every moment, from waking up together to falling asleep together. My time was indescribable.

The staff on the South Carolina Project were so welcoming! We were living in the community we worked in and you could see a real need among the homeowners. I loved seeing the progress of rebuild in a home and the Site Supervisors were always so patient to train me if I needed help. I wish I had more time but I am going to try and come back this summer!!! I loved the communal living environment, we are all working and living in the same space. People always want to hang out after work and you really get close with people fast. I was not expecting to walk away with such great friends after 3 weeks on project.

Best of luck to everyone out there, keep up the great work.