Domestic Disaster Response & Preparedness
Photo: Craig Thompson, Disciple Design
When disasters strike, Week of Compassion is here to help:
before, during, and after.
* In order to protect volunteers and communities we serve during the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers should use caution, heed the guidance of public health officials, and pay close attention to protocols required before and while serving. All Week of Compassion volunteers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before serving.
Week of Compassion offers resources and training opportunities to help congregations prepare for and respond to disasters. Immediately following disasters in the United States and Canada, Week of Compassion works through local congregations and regions to provide guidance, connections, and resources for navigating disaster response. We invest the majority of our disaster response resources in long-term recovery, primarily for the purpose of repairing and rebuilding homes. In coordination with Disciples and ecumenical partners, Week of Compassion also supports opportunities for Disciples to offer hands-on assistance.
Week of Compassion offers resources and training opportunities to help congregations prepare for and respond to disasters. Immediately following disasters in the United States and Canada, Week of Compassion works through local congregations and regions to provide guidance, connections, and resources for navigating disaster response. We invest the majority of our disaster response resources in long-term recovery, primarily for the purpose of repairing and rebuilding homes. In coordination with Disciples and ecumenical partners, Week of Compassion also supports opportunities for Disciples to offer hands-on assistance.
Learn more about our ongoing responses below.
You can also find volunteer opportunities or learn how to prepare for disasters.
You can also find volunteer opportunities or learn how to prepare for disasters.
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ONGOING RESPONSES
Hurricanes Sally & Zeta (2020) - Alabama West Coast Fires (2020) - California & Oregon Hurricanes Laura & Delta (2020) - Louisiana * Tornadoes (2019) - Ohio* VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Hurricane Florence (2018) - North Carolina* Carr Fire and Camp Fire (2018) - California Hurricanes Irma & Maria (2017) - Puerto Rico Hurricane Irma (2017) - Florida Hurricane Harvey (2017) - Texas |
EMERGING RESPONSES
Week of Compassion is in conversation with local churches and partners in areas where disasters are ongoing or have recently occurred. As needs are emerging, we are assessing potential for response. Tornado Outbreak (Dec 2021) * - Kentucky Hurricane Ida (2021) - Louisiana, Gulf Coast, East Coast 2021 Wildfires |
* limited volunteer opportunities available, with COVID-19 precautions
Tornado Outbreak12/11/2021 2021 - western Kentuckyupdated: 04/06/2022 An historic tornado outbreak caused damage and casualties in multiple states, with the greatest impact in Western Kentucky. Several Disciples congregations were directly affected, with one church building destroyed and dozens of Disciples households among the thousands who lost their homes. Week of Compassion is coordinating with the Region, congregations, and ecumenical partners to provide relief and support long-term recovery. - Federal disaster declaration: 4630-DR-KY Read more about how Disciples are involved AND how you can help!
Hurricane Ida10/1/2021 2021 - Louisiana, Gulf Coast, East Coastupdated: 04/07/2022 On Aug 29 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall as a category 4 hurricane in southeastern Louisiana, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands (some for weeks) and causing damage to thousands of homes. Several dozen Disciples households and churches were among those who sustained damage. Over 800,000 households registered for FEMA assistance in Louisiana alone. The storms continued to bring wind and heavy rain to multiple states as it tracked inland. The remnants of the storm dropped historic amounts of rain, especially, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, where Disciples congregations and members were again among those affected. - Federal Disaster Declarations: 4611-DR-LA, 4614-DR-NJ, 4615-DR-NY, 4618-DR-PA. Read more about how Disciples are invovled AND how you can help!
Winter Storm2/14/2021
updated: 04/07/2022 In mid-February 2021, a significant winter storm brought historic low temperatures to much of the U.S. and Canada. Impacts were especially consequential in Texas, where counties across the state experienced prolonged power outages, water system failures, and damage due to frozen pipes. Dozens of Disciples congregations sustained damage to their church buildings or at their members' homes. - FEMA Disaster Declarations: DR4586-TX, DR4587-OK, DR4590-LA Read more about Disciples involvement.
Hurricanes Sally & Zeta9/17/2020 2020 - U.S. Gulf Coastupdated: 04/05/2022 After stalling off the coast of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, Hurricane Sally underwent a period of rapid intensification before making landfall as a category 2 hurricane near Gulf Shores, AL very early on Sept 16 2020. The very slow-moving storm battered coastal communities in Alabama and the panhandle of Florida for hours. More than half a million customers were without power as of Sept 17, even as the storm continued moving across Georgia and South Carolina. Thousands of homes were damaged from flooding and trees toppled by the winds. Several Disciples congregations in have been directly affected, including damage at church buildings. - Federal disaster declarations: DR-4563-AL and DR-4564-FL Six weeks later, Hurricane Zeta made landfall as a category 3 hurricane made landfall in eastern Louisiana before tracking across Alabama, bringing significant rain to areas affected by Hurricane Sally. Read more about how Disciples are involved AND how you can help!
Hurricanes Laura & Delta8/27/2020 2020 - Louisianaupdated: 04/05/2022 Hurricane Laura made landfall as a strong category 4 hurricane in Southwest Louisiana (about 35 miles from the Louisiana/Texas border) very early on Aug 27 2020. The storm maintained hurricane strength as it moved inland through Louisiana. Roughly half a million customers were without power after the storm, with more than 60,000 still without power two weeks later. Thousands of homes sustained damage from the winds and rain. Several Disciples congregations in Southeast and central Louisiana were directly affected, including damage at church buildings and at members' homes. - Federal disaster declaration: DR-4559-LA Late on Oct 9 2020 Hurricane Delta made landfall as a Category 2 storm less than 20 miles from where Hurricane Laura made landfall just 6 weeks prior. Delta tore tarps off the roofs of thousands of homes, which had been damaged from hurricane Laura, and knocked out power for more than 700,000 residents. The storm also caused significant flooding across many parts of the state. Many households affected by Delta were already economically strained by the COVID-19 pandemic and the costs of evacuation and repairs from Hurricane Laura. - Federal disaster declaration: DR-4570-LA Read more about how Disciples are involved AND how you can help!
Derecho8/10/2020
updated: 04/07/2022 On August 10 2020, a 40 mile wide derecho blew across the upper Midwest; the effects were especially devastating across a large portion of Iowa. During the powerful straight-line windstorm, the winds at times exceeded 100 miles per hour. An estimated 10 million acres of corn and soybean crops were destroyed or heavily damaged. Barns, silos, grain bins, and houses were crushed across many counties. At one point over 400,000 people were without electric power, and restoration in some areas was expected to take weeks. Among the hardest hit communities, were refugees in Cedar Rapids. At least 10 Disciples congregations were directly affected, with damage to their church buildings, among their members' homes, or both. - Federal disaster declaration: DR-4557-IA Read more about Disciples involvement.
West Coast Fires8/1/2020 2020 - California & Oregonupdated: 04/05/2022 An incredibly active wildfire season across the western U.S. included fires of historic size and severity, especially in California and Oregon. In addition to burning millions of acres and thousands of homes, these fires created hazardous air quality across the region and into western Canada. More than 100 Disciples households across multiple states have had to evacuate, and several households have confirmed damage to their homes. - Federal disaster declarations: California DR-4558-CA; Oregon DR-4562-OR Read more about how Disciples are involved AND how you can help!
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