MRC Volunteer Resources
Join the over 5000 volunteers registered throughout the state of Illinois through one of the over 60 units registered as a Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer! Learn more about what we do in Illinois through our Events Page. If you have questions, read through the Frequently Asked Questions page to help answer some of the questions you may have, for the questions it doesn’t answer use our Contact Us page to reach out!
Volunteer Training Resources
Volunteer FAQs
- The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities
- The MRC started as a demonstration project by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2002 after the events of September 11 identified a need to organize and train medical volunteers to assist in emergencies
- In 2006, Congress passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which formally established the Medical Reserve Corps “to provide for an adequate supply of volunteers in the case of a Federal, State, local, or tribal public health emergency”
- Today, the MRC network comprises approximately 200,000 volunteers
in roughly 800 community-based units across the U.S. and its territories
- MRC units engage in their local communities to improve emergency response capabilities, build community preparedness and resilience, and strengthen public health
- No MRC unit is the same – specific engagement activities vary by community need, volunteer skills and interest, and partner support
- Bolster local public health and emergency response infrastructures by providing supplemental personnel
- Enable communities to meet specific health needs
- Give community members the opportunity to offer their skills and time to make their communities healthier and safer
MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals as well as other community members without healthcare backgrounds who wish to donate their time and expertise. The specific role that you will play, and the activities in which you will participate, will depend upon your background, interests, and skills, as well as the needs of the MRC unit and the community
- Communities benefit from having MRC volunteers ready to respond to emergencies.
- You can be part of an organized and trained team with a strong sense of mission and purpose.
- It’s a way to offer and improve your professional skills, knowledge, and expertise.
- It’s a chance to give back to your community, helping to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe and healthy—particularly during times of need.
- Identify the closest MRC to your area: GIS Map
- Identify the unit leader for that MRC
- Contact the local leader
- Complete the local MRC application
- If you are having difficulty reaching the leader, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]
- must be 18 years of age or older
- must meet the local MRC Unit’s requirements (i.e. some units require background checks)
- meet local unit’s volunteer preferences (most units are looking for ALL types of volunteers – non-medical, logistics, admin staff, computer skilled workers, translators, medical professionals, behavioral health specialists, etc. but some units are looking for specific skillsets for Specialized Teams)
List of Events/Calendar
2024-2025 Training Workshop Series
Registration has begun! Pick which workshop you would like to attend!
Click HERE to see the agenda
To be held on December 7th in Naperville!
Click Here to Register! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/944573212907?aff=oddtdtcreator
To be held in Bloomington on February 8th!
Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/945077481187?aff=oddtdtcreator
To be held in Collinsville on March 15th!
Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/945078123107?aff=oddtdtcreator
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