Hurricane Buddy® FAQ

Q. When should I initiate contact with my "buddy"?
A. As soon as you establish that you are a match and would like to communicate further, send an email or give a call.

Q. What should I talk to my "buddy" about?
A. Talk about anything that is importatnt to you with this "buddy" relationship and your expectations.

Q. Who can join Hurricane Buddy®?
A. Anyone who wants to help can join! If you don't need a reciprocal relationship, then you can join as a "host" only.

Q. How many times a year can I use the Hurricane Buddy® service?
A. You can use the Hurricane Buddy® service as many times as you need throughout the year.

Q. When will I see information about my "buddy"?
A. Once you have paid and are matched, you will see limited information to determine if you would like to move forward towards developing a "buddy" relationship. Once you have decided to make a relationship and "accept" your "buddy", you will see more information.

Q. What do I do if I am going to be out of town and won't be available, how will my "buddy's" know?
A. Our information is critical for our members to keep current. If you will be unavailable for any reason, simply go to our web site and mark yourself "unavailable" to your "buddy's" so they can continue their search.

Q. What is the difference between a "host" a "buddy" and a "guest"?
A. A "host" will only accept individuals and families. A "buddy" can do two things: need a home to relocate to or offer their home. A "buddy" will be able to search for other "buddy's" and can switch to "host" anytime. A “guest” is only requesting to leave their home and go to a “buddy’s” home.  They can not offer their home in return.

Q. What if I am a "host" and I have a situation where I need a "buddy"?
A. No problem! Just change to "buddy" status and you will be able to search for "buddy's".

Q. Can I have more than one "buddy"?
A. Absolutely! We encourage multiple "buddy's" in different areas.

Q. Are background checks required? 
A. No.  We do not require background checks, but feel this will increase your chances of matching with others.  

Q. What does “unavailable” mean and when do I mark myself “unavailable"?
A. If you are already matched or are a “buddy” who is not offering your home but evacuation you would mark yourself “unavailable”.   If you will be out of town you will also mark yourself “unavailable”. If you are “unavailable” members will not be able to search for you.

Q. What does "available" mean and when do I mark myself "available"?
A. You will make yourself "available" when you are available to host someone if you are a "host" or a "buddy".  At any point your home is open for someone to share, you should have yourself "available" for members to seek you out.