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 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. Hurricane Ian (2022) - Florida Hurricane Fiona (2022) - Puerto Rico * bilingual volunteers needed for remote assistance * Water Crisis (2022) - Jackson, Mississippi Flooding (2022) - Missouri Flooding (2022) - Kentucky Tornado Outbreak (Dec 2021) * - Kentucky Hurricane Ida (2021) - Louisiana, Gulf Coast, East Coast |
* volunteer opportunities available, with COVID-19 precautions
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!
Tornadoes3/2/2020
updated: 04/07/2022 Overnight between March 2 and 3, a series of tornadoes moved through Nashville and communities to the east. 25 people died in the storms, and several hundred people were injured. As of March 10, several hundred homes were confirmed damaged or destroyed, and damage assessments continue. - Federal disaster declaration: DR-4476-TN Another outbreak on April 12 and 13 caused extensive damage in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas. Response was complicated by restrictions due to COVID-19. - Federal disaster declaration: DR-4541-TN Read more about Disciples involvement.
Earthquakes1/7/2020
updated: 04/07/2022 From late December 2019 through January 2020, the southwest part of Puerto Rico experienced a series of earthquakes of varying strength and severity. Among the most damaging were a 4.7 quake on Dec. 28, a 6.4 shock on Jan. 7, and a 5.2 quake on Jan. 15, with many, smaller tremors between. The quakes damaged hundreds of structures, including several schools, and thousands of people evacuated their homes, uncertain of the safety of the buildings (roughly 6,000 individuals were in official and unofficial shelters/encampments as of Jan 21). The tremors damaged a power plant and portions of the electrical grid, causing power outages--some prolonged--across much of the island. Given the continued aftershocks and the recent trauma of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health are of great concern. Read more about Disciples involvement.
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