GET INVOLVED
Three ways to stand
with the families.
Choose the form of support that fits your capacity. Every path leads to the same place: a family who needed someone and found one.
01 — DONATE
Every dollar reaches
a family.
NFTDRF maintains a 92% program efficiency ratio — meaning 92 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to family services. We publish full financials annually.
Donations are 501(c)(3) tax-deductible. One-time gifts and monthly recurring support are both available. Every donor receives a tax acknowledgment letter within 5 business days.
How your donation is allocated
Emergency Financial Assistance
Educational Scholarships
Grief Counseling & Peer Support
Operations & Helpline
Impact at Every Level
Provides one peer support group session for a surviving family member.
→Funds one individual grief counseling session with a licensed therapist.
→Covers one month of ongoing case coordinator support for a family.
→Provides one semester of scholarship support for a driver's child.
→Fully funds one emergency assistance grant disbursement.
→Covers six months of comprehensive family support services.
→All donations are tax-deductible. NFTDRF EIN: 88-XXXXXXX
02 — VOLUNTEER
Our helpline runs on people like you.
The NFTDRF helpline answered 4,200 calls in 2024. Every one was answered by a trained volunteer — many of them bereaved family members themselves.
If you've experienced this kind of loss, we especially want to hear from you.
Helpline Volunteer
Answer calls from families in the acute phase of loss — the days and weeks immediately after a driver's death. Helpline volunteers are trained in active listening, crisis de-escalation, and NFTDRF program navigation. No professional counseling background required.
Ideal Candidate
Bereaved family members, retired drivers, chaplains, social workers, or anyone with a heart for acute grief support.
Peer Support Volunteer
Paired one-on-one with families at 30, 60, and 90 days after a driver's death — when the immediate community support typically disappears. Peer supporters check in by phone or video call, share their own experience where appropriate, and connect families to ongoing NFTDRF resources.
Ideal Candidate
Widows, widowers, adult children, and parents of fallen drivers who are at least one year past their own loss and ready to support others.
Time Commitment
2–4 hrs/month
Training Required
6-hour orientation + ongoing monthly check-ins
Case Navigator
Work directly with families to coordinate their full NFTDRF program engagement — financial assistance applications, counseling referrals, scholarship submissions, and Memorial Wall tributes. Case navigators are the primary point of contact for assigned families across all program areas.
Ideal Candidate
Social workers, case managers, healthcare professionals, or experienced volunteers with comfort managing complex support situations.
Time Commitment
8–12 hrs/month
Training Required
Full 20-hour certification program
The Application Process
Apply online.
Submit your application at nftdf.org/volunteer. Takes about 10 minutes. We ask about your background, availability, and personal connection to the mission.
Phone interview.
A volunteer coordinator schedules a 30-minute call to discuss your fit, answer your questions, and match you to the right role.
Training & match.
Complete your role-specific training program (6–20 hours, remote-accessible). Then receive your first family or call assignment.
03 — CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP
Invest in the drivers who
built your supply chain.
Fleet carriers, logistics companies, and transportation brands sponsor NFTDRF programs in honor of the drivers they employ — and the thousands who came before them.
Corporate sponsorships are fully tax-deductible. Minimum commitment: $5,000/year.
Community Partner
$5,000/year
- NFTDRF website recognition with company name and logo
- Listing in annual impact report
- Quarterly program update newsletter
- Letter of acknowledgment for tax records
Champion Partner
$15,000/year
- All Community Partner benefits
- Named scholarship fund (awarded in company's honor)
- NFTDRF logo licensing for fleet recognition materials
- Featured profile in one NFTDRF story per year
- Annual impact briefing with program leadership
Legacy Partner
$25,000+/year
- All Champion Partner benefits
- Memorial Wall naming rights for sponsored section
- Branded program sponsorship (e.g., "The [Company] Emergency Fund")
- In-person annual briefing with NFTDRF leadership
- Speaking opportunity at NFTDRF annual recognition event
- Priority coordination for Driver Appreciation Week campaigns
FLEET CARRIER DUAL-MISSION
"We care about your drivers before and after."
NFTDRF partners are safety-first fleets. Many also work with our sister organization — Off Duty Not Driving Rewards — to prevent driver fatalities through behavior-based recognition programs.
Download the Partnership Overview →“Four days after we called, a check arrived. I didn't think organizations like this actually existed.”
— Diane B., widow of Terrence Brooks, North Carolina · Emergency Financial Assistance recipient, 2023
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. NFTDRF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. You will receive a written acknowledgment letter within five business days of your gift.
How long does the volunteer application take?
The online application takes approximately 10 minutes. The full process — application, phone interview, and training — typically takes 4–6 weeks. Most volunteers are placed within 30 days of completing training.
Can a corporate partner designate their sponsorship to a specific program?
Yes. Champion and Legacy Partners may designate their sponsorship to the Emergency Assistance Fund, the Scholarship Fund, or the Grief Counseling Program. Designations are honored in all public recognition materials.
I've experienced this kind of loss myself. Is that relevant to volunteering?
It's the most relevant thing. Our most effective peer support volunteers are bereaved family members themselves — typically at least one year past their own loss. We provide full training, but lived experience is irreplaceable.
What's the minimum donation to receive a tax letter?
NFTDRF sends acknowledgment letters for all donations of $5 or more. For donations of $250 or more, we provide a formal written acknowledgment as required by IRS guidelines.
Still have questions?
Contact our team →JOIN THE FOUNDATION
Choose your role. Start today.
Every dollar, every hour, every partnership moves a family closer to stability. There is no minimum requirement — only the decision to show up.
Make a DonationNFTDRF is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible.