Disaster
In a few minutes, your life can be torn apart. Winds, rain, waves or shaking can take away everything you love. Or over a few months or years, your home can become unsafe.
We walk with our neighbors through every stage of the disaster cycle. CWS programs help people prepare for the worst, making plans and gathering supplies. When an emergency happens, we team up with other responders to meet immediate needs. And when the time is right, we shift our focus to long-term recovery. When people are forced from their homes, we work hard to make sure they have safe and dignified lives.
The road to recovery and safety may be a long one, but no one should walk it alone.
When the Land turns to Liquid
A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, in September 2018. It triggered tsunamis and a phenomenon called liquefaction, when the ground literally turns to liquid. It moved entire villages, swallowed houses and destroyed infrastructure.
We immediately began to mobilize a response. Soon we were delivering water to thousands of families each day, distributing critical supplies and promoting hygiene among displaced families. As weeks turned to months, we focused on helping families build transitional shelters, build or repair water systems, and build sanitary bathrooms.
Latest Updates
After the Deadly Winter Storm, CWS Supplies and Funds Went to Houston Quickly
Houston is home to the second-largest Vietnamese population in the United States. Jannette Diep is the Executive Director of the Houston branch of Boat People SOS. She and her team provide a wealth of services to the Vietnamese community, as well as other refugees and immigrants. Most BPSOS clients are from underserved and low-income families, many of whom have just …
Long-term Recovery from Hurricane Michael in 2018
Yes – it has been almost 2½ years since Hurricane Michael, but we continue to see the long-term effects, especially on our most vulnerable populations. The following is one such account: The last 25 years have been met head-on with hard work, providing for family and determination to overcome the daily obstacles encountered by the very people who provide the …
Immokalee, Florida: Long-Term Recovery Continues for Hurricane Irma Survivors!
Hurricane Irma made landfall in Collier County–where Immokalee is located–on September 10, 2017. Immokalee is a town where Latinxs and Haitians make up 72% of the local population, and it is not uncommon to hear Spanish and French Creole languages spoken wherever you go. The Hurricane Irma devastation was particularly massive in Immokalee. Untold numbers of homes were totally destroyed …