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
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. …
A year after Tropical Storm Imelda, a new roof means peace of mind in Houston
I felt scared that I was going to lose everything. And when water started to come into one of my daughters’ rooms from both the roof and the floor, she started to cry. I then began to fear for my family’s life. I had to run to other parts of the house to check other areas where the water was …
UPDATED Emergency Appeal: Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Central America
Appeal Code: 628M This Appeal is an update to our Emergency Appeal, issued on November 9. Situation Two weeks after Hurricane Eta’s destruction, Hurricane Iota hit many of the same communities across Central America. Both storms made landfall as Category 4 major hurricanes, and Iota slammed into Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast just 15 miles south of where Eta struck. It brought …