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
Haitian Migrant Communities in The Bahamas Focus on Disaster Preparedness
When disaster strikes, people who live in poor neighborhoods often suffer the most. Homes in these communities are often built with low-quality supplies. Hurricanes, for example, are more likely to damage or destroy them. If that happens, their residents have a harder time paying for repairs. Sometimes garbage services sometimes don’t reach informal settlements. Trash builds up in public areas, …
Situation Report: Hurricane Ida
Appeal Code: 628N Situation Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana on Sunday as a dangerous Category 4 storm with 150 mile per hour winds. The full extent of the storm’s damage is still unknown; rescue efforts are underway. Ida has been blamed for at least two deaths. It left more than a million people in Louisiana and Mississippi, including the entire …
When the Storm Takes Your Legal Identity, Too
Hurricane Dorian slammed into The Bahamas as a Category 5 major hurricane in September 2019. It was the most powerful hurricane to hit The Bahamas since record keeping began. It was also a very slow storm, moving as slowly as one mile per hour. For nearly three days it continued its relentless onslaught, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. “I …