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Week of Compassion
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​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, many of our partners have suspended or restricted their volunteer disaster recovery operations. Week of Compassion recommends against volunteer teams traveling for the time being. Volunteers responding to local disasters should use caution and heed the guidance of public health officials.
​We encourage you to take this time to prepare for future mission opportunities by 1) becoming more disaster-ready as a household or congregation; 2) developing your skills in home repair; and 3) advocating for local, state, and federal policies that promote adequate and equitable disaster recovery.


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 and ecumenical 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.
ONGOING RESPONSES
Hurricanes Laura and Delta, Louisiana
Derecho, Iowa
Tornadoes, Tennessee
​Tropical Storm Imelda, Texas
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
*limited volunteer opportunities available, with COVID-19 precautions

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
COVID-19

Derecho, Iowa

8/10/2020

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.
 


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Week of Compassion 
P.O. Box 1986 
Indianapolis, IN 46206
Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
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  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Staff
    • Board of Stewards
    • From The Executive Director
    • Partners
  • Action
    • COVID-19 Response >
      • COVID-19 Offering Resources
    • Domestic Disaster Response & Preparedness >
      • How To Prepare For A Disaster
    • International Disaster Response
    • Sustainable Development
    • Refugees and Displaced People
  • Stories
  • Resources
    • Special Offering >
      • Special Offering 2021
    • Worship Material
    • Media
    • Logos
    • Archive
  • Get Involved
    • Ways to Give >
      • Circle of Compassion
      • Endowments
    • Invite Us to Your Church
    • Volunteering & Support
  • Donate
  • Contact Us