In 2014, Church World Service actively supported disaster response work in response to storms, floods, tornadoes wildfires and mudslides along with ongoing Superstorm Sandy recovery. In all, CWS worked in a total of 25 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
Here’s how:
4,895 CWS Kits of various kinds assembled and donated by local church congregations across the United States and 300 CWS Blankets, requested by disaster response partners in six states and with a total value of $234,265.
Location detail:
- Bessemer (CWS Hygiene Kits and Emergency Cleanup Buckets consigned to Jefferson County EMA Warehouse) and Alabaster (CWS School Kits consigned to Jefferson County VOAD), Ala., tornadoes;
- Yuma, Ariz., wildfires (CWS School and Hygiene Kits consigned to First Presbyterian Church);
- Hampton, Johnston, Algona and Rock Rapids, Iowa, storms and flooding (CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets consigned to various agencies);
- Baxter, Kan., tornado (CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets consigned to First Baptist Church);
- Kentucky flooding (CWS Blankets, Emergency Cleanup Buckets and Hygiene Kits consigned to Sisters of Hope Charitable Community Outreach in Garrett, Ky.), and
- Southeast Michigan flooding (CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets consigned to the American Red Cross, Detroit, Mich.).
CWS Kits detail:
- 3,435 CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets, 1,310 CWS Hygiene Kits and 150 CWS School Kits.
Start-up and sustainability grants to 10 local community-based long-term recovery groups in seven states, ranging from $3,000 to $7,500 and totaling $49,500. Groups used their grants for case management administration and travel; office management, operations, rent, equipment and supplies; insurance; survivor support, and (in Austin) for breakfast and lunch for children and elderly people displaced by flooding.
Location detail:
- Vilonia (Vilonia Disaster Recovery Alliance) and Mayflower (Inter-Faith Partners Disaster Alliance), Ark. (tornadoes);
- El Cajon (San Diego County VOAD), Calif. (wildfires);
- Greeley (Weld County Community Recovery Committee), Lafayette (Foothills United Way), and Estes Park (Estes Valley Long-Term Recovery Group), Colo. (flooding);
- Elizabeth (Union County Long-Term Recovery Group), N.J. (Superstorm Sandy);
- Northport (Friends of Long Island), N.Y. (Superstorm Sandy);
- Logan (Logan County Long-Term Recovery Group), Okla. (wildfires), and
- Austin (Travis Austin Recovery Group), Texas (flooding).
Seven free webinars on subjects ranging from “Long-Term Recovery Basics” to “Disaster Response for Congregations” and “Disability and Disaster.” Average attendance was 108, with “Disaster Response for Congregations” attracting a record 256 participants. Recordings are all linked from www.cwsglobal.org/ltrwebinars.
Dozens of in-person meetings, presentations and consultations in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York with Superstorm Sandy long-term recovery groups, supported by a grant of $305,395 from the American Red Cross. This work was implemented in partnership with American Red Cross, BRACE (Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies), Lutheran Disaster Response, New Jersey Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster, New York Disaster Interfaith Services, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries, United Methodist Committee on Relief and World Renew.
A total of 22 non-Sandy related in-person trainings for participants responding to disasters in nine states.
Location Details:
- Conway, Ark. (tornadoes);
- Tallahassee and Milton, Fla. (flooding);
- Gifford and Brookport, Ill. (tornadoes);
- Evansville, Indianapolis, Kokomo and Washington, Ind. (tornadoes and flooding);
- Kansas City, Kan. (FEMA meeting);
- Detroit, Mich. (flooding);
- Louisville and Tupelo, Miss. (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding);
- Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska Interfaith Disaster Summit), and
- Niagara, Seneca, and Utica, N.Y. (flooding).
CWS’s national training and activity partners in 2014 included the American Baptist Churches in the USA, American Red Cross, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Week of Compassion, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Habitat for Humanity, International Orthodox Christian Charities, Lutheran Disaster Response, Mennonite Disaster Service, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and World Renew.