Due to the storms affecting Portuugal, the Just a Change association has activated an emergency plan to intervene on the groud starting February.
We will be organized in different teams of volunteers, with specific groud management, starting in the municipalities Ansião, Alvaiázere, Ferreira do Zêzere and Tomar but all integrated in a common action plan, coordinated by the Just a Change team, in partnership with the municipalities and the local entities.
Our focus is to maximize the impact of qualified labor and know-how, garanteeing that the interventions are safe, effective a useful.
The security of everyone is always our number one priority.
This plan was created “against the clock” and the context on ground is highly dynamic.
this means that necessities might change daily and unforeseen situations may occur.
What is Just SOS?
After monitoring the state of emergency in the center of Portugal, due to the Kristin storm, we have decided to activate an emergency plan, with the main goal of intervening on the ground, starting on February.
During this time, we were planning to open registrations for our program Turn Up. However, considering the urgency of the situation around the country and the identified needs, we have decided to pause this process and allocate our resources where help is most needed.
In an initial phase, our operation will be located on the municipalities of Alvaiázere, Ansião, Ferreira do Zêzere and Tomar.
The focus in each of the municipalities will be extended over time, wheneved possible. Each volunteer can register for a minimun period of 1 week, from Monday to Friday, with daily intervention on the ground. During the intervention, there will be two project managers, responsible for logistics, volunteer coordination and daily communication of the ground.
We work with construction technicians that are always on the construction site and accompany the works. This is not an informal operation: it is serious work, with real impact that requires focus, responsibility and team spirit.
All accomodation and food will be provided by the municipalities. Conditions may vary depending on the location. This may include: shared rooms, overnight in simple accommodations and schedules adapted to the context of the operation. We ask for flexibility and solidarity.
WHAT TO BRING:
1. Steel toe boots
2. Work gloves (If you don’t have any, simple garnening gloves will suffice – they are running out in the affected areas)
3. Reflective vests (very important)
4. Powerbanks (electricity may be scarce or non-existent)
5. Lanterns (headlamps or handheld lights)
6. Walkie-talkies, if you have (useful if the newwork fails)
7. Waterproof clothing, to get dirty and wet
8. Cash
9. Car with a full tank (if applicable). Caution on the road: with strong winds, pay attention to trees at risk of falling.
Other tools and initiatives that are already in place:
Tempestade SOS
support lines created by the affected municipalities
SOS Leiria
and other local community response platforms
Civil Protection
national and municipal, through their official channels
Red Cross Portugal
with teams on the ground in various parts of the country
Other ways to help
Financial Donation
If you want to help but can’t go into the field, there are other ways to help.
Financial support is crucial for the reconstruction of the houses. All funds raised will be directed towards the renovation projects and support the areas affected by the recent storms.
All help is welcome, press the button to make your donation.
Material Donation
We have received numerous requests related to the delivery of materials and we are aware of the scale of this need.
These requests are being forwarded directly to the municipalities, with which we will work closely, using our own materials of those available locally.
If you are interested in supporting this initiative, you can contact the municipalities directly to make in-kind donations according to the specific requests identified.
Municipality
Alvaiázere
Tomar
Firefighters Tomar
Ansião
Ferreira do Zêzere
Phone
236 650 600
249 324 030
249 329 140
236 670 200
+351 249 360 150
geral@cm-alvaiazere.pt
protecaocivil@cm-tomar.pt
bombeiros@cm-tomar.pt
geral@cm-ansiao.pt
geral@cm-ferreiradozezere.pt
Technical support / Qualifiend labor and know-how
If you know any construction technicians or professionals in the field who are available, we would greatly appreciate it if you could send this information, for evaluation and integration into our action plan, to tecnicos.sos@justachange.pt.
Are you a partner ou a compaby that wants to help?
Contact us via email at parcerias@justachange.pt
Obrigado por fazeres parte!
Together we Rehabilitate Houses and Rebuild Lives
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the journey to the site work?
We are currently organizing ridesharing based on the availability they indicate on the registration form.
Departures will be organized from Lisbon, Porto and possibly other cities (if there are enough volunteers). We ask for some flexibility during this logistical planning phase.
Just a Change covers the costs of all travel within the municipality.
Is Just SOS going to happen during the weekends?
We all need to recharge our batteries and our technicians are no exception! We will be on ground from Monday to Friday, in the affected areas and on weekends you can volunteer in ongoing local projects with organizations on the ground or support them through the tools provided.
How does food and accommodation work?
Accommodation and meals will be provided by the partner municipalities. Conditions may vary depending on location. This may include: shared rooms, overnight stays in simple structures and schedules adapted to the context of the operation. We ask for flexibility and solidarity.
Will I receive a t-shirt?
Yes, you will receive a Just a Change t-shirt so you can be identified and look very stylish!
If you are in the affected areas, including the municipalities where we will be intervening, and if you are not participating in a Just SOS intervention or during weekends, we ask that you do not wear the Just a Change t-shirt, as you are nor part of our project!
Does this program have additional costs?
Once you arrive at the location where the operation takes place, you will not have costs.
However, we want to reinforce the importance of your commitment to the spirit of service and, above all, to safety.
I've never worked on construction sites and I don't know anything about construction. Can I still participate?
Yes! Out volunteers are constantly accompanied and supervised by construction technicians, who are there to teach them everything they need to know!
The tasks will always depend on the identified needs by the municipalities and may vary from day to day. This is not an informal operation: it is serious work with real impact, requiring focus, responsibility and teamwork.
I don't have steel toe boots.
The use of steel-toed boots is mandatory. You can buy them at construction stores at affordable prices.
If you can’t get steel-toed boots, you can ask the project manager (contact in the confirmation email) to lend you some, subject to availability. It is important that you know the boots aren’t new, they are used and may not be exactly your size. You must arrange the loan in advance.