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 limited their volunteer disaster recovery operations. Volunteers should use caution, heed the guidance of public health officials, and pay close attention to protocols required on site and prior to serving. If volunteering is not a safe option for you right now, 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 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; click here for volunteer opportunities; or click here to prepare for disasters.
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; click here for volunteer opportunities; or click here to prepare for disasters.
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ONGOING RESPONSES
COVID-19 Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, Alabama West Coast Fires (2020) Hurricanes Laura and Delta, Louisiana* Derecho, Iowa Tornadoes, Tennessee Tropical Storm Imelda, Texas Tornadoes, Ohio* VOLUNTEERS NEEDED * 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
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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. December Tornado Outbreak Hurricane Ida 2021 Wildfires Kentucky and Tennessee Flooding Winter Storm (Feb. 2021) |
Tropical Storm Imelda, Texas9/21/2019 updated: 11/25/19 Event Summary: After a very rapid development in the Gulf of Mexico, Imelda made landfall in southeast Texas as a Tropical Storm on Sept. 17. It lingered over the region for several days, dropping record-breaking amounts of rain--over 40 inches in some areas. Communities from the greater Houston area east to the Louisiana border saw catastrophic flooding. As of this writing, approximately two dozen Disciples households had reported damage. Some churches are reporting minor damage, but none are known to have flooded at this time. As of November 25, over 10,500 households had been approved for Individual Assistance from FEMA, and many more households were affected but did not qualify for federal assistance. How Disciples are Involved:
Local Contacts: Christian Church in the Southwest, local congregations, local long-term recovery groups, Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County, Church World Service local partners Early Response: Week of Compassion provided solidarity grants to several affected Disciples churches and households. We worked with the local long-term recovery group and First Christian Church, Beaumont to distribute cleanup supplies, and we remain in conversation with partners in the region who were already working on recovery from Hurricane Harvey (2017) about new or exacerbated needs. Ongoing Engagement: We are working with SETERF (the Jefferson County long-term recovery group) and Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County to provide support for home repairs. How to Help: Volunteer: Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County. 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. Advocate: Imelda has received relatively little attention and few resources, given the scope of the damage. Help keep this recovery in the public awareness and consider how you could help bring awareness to the situation. Heavy rainmaking storms such as Imelda are becoming more frequent and more severe. Advocate for action on climate change and for improvements to infrastructure to mitigate against the dangers of these storms. Watch our social media feed for photos, stories, and updates about this recovery. Comments are closed.
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