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.
Disaster Preparedness
When a disaster strikes, it can change or end lives in minutes. The more that we can do to prepare ahead of time, the more likely we are to survive and recover quickly.
Hurricane Response
For each year since 2016, at least one Category 5 storm has hit the United States or our Caribbean neighbors. Each time, CWS and our partners have been part of the relief effort.
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
Situation Report: Hurricane Season 2020
Appeal Code: 628M Situation Before it began, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was expected to be busier than usual. So far, this dark prediction appears to be coming true. The first two named storms of the season, Arthur and Bertha, formed before the season officially began. On July 22, Tropical Storm Gonzalo was officially named, setting a record for the …
When a pandemic and flooding both struck, you were there in Michigan
“CWS has been so great. As a walker in a CROP Hunger Walk, I had some idea of what CWS does. In general, I always tend to think of it has happening in remote areas of the globe…to that impact happening locally, I am so thankful to have walked in multiple CROP Walks and that CWS comes through wherever the …
UPDATED Emergency Appeal: Coronavirus Response Fund
July 6, 2020 Appeal Code: 6302 Appeal Amount: $2.25 million This is an update to our initial appeal, issued on April 22. SITUATION The coronavirus pandemic has continued to ravage our world. As of July 1, more than 10 million cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed. More than half a million people have died. “Although many countries have made some …