Hurricane Response
June through November is hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. And 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.
We respond immediately, offering supplies and determining the highest priority needs. When organizations on the front lines request supplies, we respond. That includes CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets, Hygiene Kits, School Kits and Blankets. We may ship other supplies as needed, too.
As days turn to weeks and months, our focus shifts to long-term recovery. We support long-term recovery groups in communities in several U.S. states and in the Caribbean. Building on the expertise of our Immigration and Refugee program, we also focus on vulnerable migrant or refugee communities. These families may not be able to access government or other relief as easily as their neighbors.
In the face of the storm, we are stronger when we stand together.
In the Months after the Storm
“Church World Service helped us to replace beds, to replace books, to replace food, to replace clothes. And we are so thankful.” In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, this is what your generosity meant to families in North Carolina.
Latest Updates
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 …
Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Nicaragua
In early November 2020, Hurricane Eta slammed into Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast. Two weeks later, Hurricane Iota struck the same communities. These back-to-back blows destroyed homes, crops, animals and livelihoods. CWS and our partners have worked with communities in the area for years. We support the food security and community development work of trusted local organization Accion Medica Cristiana, or AMC. …