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, Disciples Volunteering has closed all disaster recovery mission stations. Week of Compassion joins them in recommending against volunteer teams traveling for the time being. Volunteers responding to local disasters should use caution and heed the guidance of public health officials.
Week of Compassion offers resources and training opportunities to help congregations prepare and respond. 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 Volunteering and other partners, Week of Compassion also supports opportunities for Disciples to offer hands-on assistance.
Learn more about our ongoing responses, or click here to prepare for disasters.
Week of Compassion offers resources and training opportunities to help congregations prepare and respond. 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 Volunteering and other partners, Week of Compassion also supports opportunities for Disciples to offer hands-on assistance.
Learn more about our ongoing responses, or click here to prepare for disasters.
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ONGOING RESPONSES
Tornadoes, Tennessee Earthquakes, Puerto Rico Tropical Storm Imelda, Texas Hurricane Dorian, Bahamas and Atlantic Coast Tornadoes, Ohio Tornadoes, Missouri Flooding, Oklahoma and Midwest US Hurricane Michael, Florida Hurricane Florence, North Carolina Carr Fire and Camp Fire, California Hurricanes Irma & Maria, Puerto Rico Hurricane Irma, Florida Hurricane Harvey, Texas |
EMERGING RESPONSES Week of Compassion is in conversation with local churches and partners in these areas where disasters are ongoing or have recently occurred. As needs are emerging, we are assessing potential avenues for response. Hurricane Sally West Coast Fires Hurricane Laura Derecho, Iowa COVID-19 |
Derecho, Iowa8/10/2020 updated: 08/17/2020 Event Summary: On August 10, 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 400,0000 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 How Disciples are Involved:
Local Contacts: Christian Church in the Upper Midwest, Iowa VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) Early Response: Week of Compassion is providing assistance to and through local Disciples congregations, with solidarity grants for affected congregations and members and grants to support congregational relief efforts. Staff are in regular communication with church leaders in the area as well as ecumenical partners through the VOAD network. Ongoing Engagement: We will continue to support the efforts of Disciples in the area and will assess possibilities for supporting long-term recovery. Read more here. How to Help: Volunteer: There are limited opportunities for volunteer teams to support clean-up, especially local volunteers who will not require overnight accommodation. Interested volunteers can reach out to Associate Director, Caroline Hamilton-Arnold. Give to Week of Compassion: Designate “US Storms” Pray: Continue to pray for those affected by the storm and for our Week of Compassion partners, especially the sizable immigrant and refugee communities affected by this storm. Advocate: Areas of important advocacy will include support for farmers who lost crops, for refugees experiencing yet another traumatic displacement, and for folks who were already economically unstable because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments are closed.
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