Situation
Last Friday, a series of deadly tornadoes swept across Mississippi, killing 26 individuals and injuring dozens more. The tornadoes were especially devastating in Rolling Fork where much of the 2000-person town has been reduced to rubble. For many residents of Rolling Fork, which has a poverty rate of 21%, recovery will be a long and difficult uphill battle. President Biden declared a state of emergency on Sunday for Mississippi which will give the state access to federal support as they respond to the disaster.
CWS Response
CWS is collaborating and coordinating with local & national partners during the initial phases of relief and response efforts following the impacts of the tornado. We will remain engaged with the Mississippi and Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to understand the response and recovery needs of the communities severely impacted by this disaster. Our CWS Kits & Blankets have been offered to local partners within the disaster-impacted areas and we are prepared for shipment and distribution coordination as needs are determined. CWS is committed to supporting affected immigrant communities by connecting individuals to resources and by identifying those who qualify for additional support through CWS’ HSPRS program.
How to Help
To support CWS emergency response efforts, donations can be made online or sent to Church World Service (P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515).
Explore cwskits.org to learn about assembling and shipping CWS Kits to stock our shelves so that we can respond when the call comes following this or a similar disaster in the future.