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
Hurricane Irma9/10/2017 2017 - Floridaupdated: 04/06/2022 On Sept 10 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall as a Category 4 storm in the Florida Keys before moving up the spine of the peninsula. Nearly 2.5 million households in Florida registered for assistance with FEMA, many of whom had also suffered damage during Hurricane Matthew just 11 months before. Read more about how Disciples are involved AND how you can help! HOW DISCIPLES ARE INVOLVED
Local Partners: First Christian Church, Daytona; Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster (VIND) Early Response: Week of Compassion provided early support through the Florida Region, offering information and pastoral care. We also provided solidarity grants for 60 households and 17 congregations affected by the storm, as well as the regional church camp: The Retreat at Silver Springs. Ongoing Engagement: Week of Compassion is working with Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster, the local long-term recovery group, which is housed at First Christian Church, Daytona. We continue to provide significant grant funding for the repair of damaged homes and have the site as a referral option for volunteer teams. We also have provided grants to support home repairs through several local Long-Term Recovery Groups and have developed a partnership with the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance, to replace substandard housing damaged by the hurricane with affordable, quality rental housing. HOW TO HELP Volunteer: None at this time. Give to Week of Compassion: Designate Hurricanes Pray: Continue to pray for the people of Florida and our Week of Compassion partners. Advocate: Migrant and farm-worker communities were severely affected by Hurricane Irma, and they are often ineligible for or overlooked by recovery efforts. Our partners at Church World Service and Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance are working with these communities to address their needs. Watch our social media feed for photos, stories, and updates about this recovery. Comments are closed.
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