Hotline volunteer Wanda Parscal knows devastating weather first hand.

"I've been through a few tornadoes down in Kansas growing up and stuff so, I can really feel for these people and I enjoy helping them," Parscal said.

She volunteers at the State Emergency Management Agency's new disaster hotline. It started this week because of the recent storms.

"It handles offers of donations, offers of volunteers, offers of help to direct people to make monetary donations to volunteer organizations, and we also help people that have needs for assistance. These needs range the gammot, everything from where to I find a shelter, to where can I get assistance to help my family after my home was damaged," explained statewide volunteer coordinator Dante Gliniecki.

Trucks, a fully-furnished house, cleaning supplies, and money have been donated so far. Volunteers direct storm victims to agencies that can help them. Workers have answered less than 100 calls so far, but Gliniecki expects things to pick up in the next few days. She is looking for more volunteers to help handle the load.

Parscal got the message from an e-mail.

"I feel a need to help because I have been helped down through the years, too," Parscal explains.

Gliniecki hopes to give FEMA enough information to qualify the state for federal disaster aid.

To volunteer or donate, call the hotline at 866-254-0140.