Willing to Respond

We are excited to be part of the launch of a new tool for networking congregations for disaster preparedness and response: Willing to Respond!

As a registry of willing congregations and a library of vetted resources, this tool will help us connect with you and introduce you to other congregations and organizations in your area. It also provides your congregation with training, tips, and tools to reduce your risk and be ready to help your neighbors when disaster strikes.

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Willing To Respond is a joint venture between Week of Compassion, the United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries, and The Church Responds and was created to help congregations work better together and connect with their local disaster response infrastructure. 

These partners believe responding to disaster is

• faithful
  As people of faith, we are called to love our neighbors, especially in times of crisis.
  
  
• essential
  Congregations are uniquely positioned to understand the needs of their neighbors and to mobilize volunteers.
  
  
• transformational
  Disaster response ministry is a unique love of neighbor that can powerfully transform entire communities.

Your congregation can register to connect, assign a leader to serve as your coordinator, and access resources so you are ready to respond when disaster strikes, with support from Week of Compassion. Each congregation serves in the way that they are most capable, from their experience, calling, resources, volunteer skills, and anticipated needs, responding first in their local community and then beyond as the network determines need. Preparation, training, resourcing and responding is done with the support and engagement of long-term recovery and local volunteer organizing and disaster assistance networks. 

Doing the work to plan and prepare in advance means that we are ready to help others as soon as help is needed, and lets all of us - local churches, Week of Compassion, and individuals - make the best use of our response time and resources, bringing the greatest hope and healing in the greatest moments of need.

For more about Willing to Respond, visit our preparedness page, or contact Associate Director for Domestic Disaster Response, Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold.