CWS Expands Appeal for Help for Afghan Flood, Mudslide Survivors

News & Updates | Posted Monday, May 19, 2014

APPEAL CODE: # 700-N EXPANDED APPEAL GOAL: $550,421 (from $494,020) PLEDGED TO DATE TOWARD GOAL: $185,000 Situation As noted in the initial May 7 appeal, Afghanistan is experiencing severe weather affecting tens of thousands of persons. Flash floods and landslides in the country over the past weeks have affected 120,000 people across 16 provinces. An estimated 675 people have died. …

Emergency Appeal: U.S. Spring Storms 2014 – Update #1

News & Updates | Posted Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Emergency Appeal #628-A, Update #1 Initial CWS Appeal Goal: $60,000 Overview Spring storms that began April 26 and continued through May 1 took lives, injured many and caused extensive tornado, straight-line wind and flood damage to several thousand homes in more than 20 states. To date, CWS has filled material goods orders from Jefferson County, Ala., and Baxter Springs, Kan., …

Emergency Appeal: U.S. Spring Storms 2014

News & Updates | Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Emergency Appeal #628-A Initial CWS Appeal Goal: $60,000 Situation Starting Saturday April 26 and forecast to continue today and beyond, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes have been hitting numerous states in the U.S. Midwest and South and are heading to the East.  By Monday night, at least 17 states had been affected and more are being added to the list daily. …

CROP Hunger Walk Recruiter Discovers CWS’s Role in Disaster Recovery

News & Updates | Posted Friday, April 25, 2014

I’m passionate about ending hunger – and about being a mom, and being involved in the community.  This story is about how all those pieces of my life are fitting together – and yes, Church World Service is an important part of my story! My husband Scott, our son Joshua and I live in Longmont, Colo., where Scott pastors Westview …

Situation Report #2: A Mudslide, Tornadoes and a Fire

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Snohomish County Mudslide On March 22, rain-saturated ground led to a massive mudslide at Oso in Snohomish County, Wash. As of April 2, 28 fatalities were reported, there were 20 persons injured and 22 persons remained missing or unaccounted for. Search and rescue activities continue and FEMA and state damage assessments are ongoing. State Route 530 remains closed. CWS Response: …

CWS Situation Report: Washington State Mudslide

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Situation: On March 22, rain-saturated ground led to a massive mudslide at Oso in Snohomish County, Wash. The mud and debris is 20 feet deep in places and covers 1.3 square miles across the north fork of the Stillaguamish River and Washington State Route 530 between the towns of Arlington and Darrington. SR 530 is blocked and remains closed. Concern …

Small Congregations Have Big Hearts

News & Updates | Posted Saturday, March 15, 2014

I headed west last Sunday on the New York State Thruway to Fredonia, NY, to speak to the Fredonia Presbyterian Church. They asked if I would speak about the work of CWS as they have supported our efforts for years and would be in the midst of working on CWS Hygiene Kits at for the Upstate NY Spring Kit Drive. …

To Be a Face of Welcome

News & Updates | Posted Monday, March 3, 2014

One evening a month I lead volunteer orientation here at CWS in Durham, N.C. College students, retirees, moms with young children, immigrants and many others surround the table to learn about refugees. I am always impressed by the incredible enthusiasm of our volunteers to get involved with refugees – people they’ve never met, whose languages they don’t speak.  Before the …

CWS Assistance to Sandy Survivors Continues

News & Updates | Posted Tuesday, February 25, 2014

To date, CWS has supplied $1,224,874 in material goods donated by its member communions and their congregations including CWS Blankets, Cleanup Buckets and other CWS Kits for Sandy survivors up and down the East Coast.  It has approved grants for 18 long-term recovery groups; conducted more two dozen “Recovery Tools and Training,” safety and other workshops, and is providing ongoing …

Situation Report: East Java Volcano (Indonesia)

News & Updates | Posted Friday, February 14, 2014

Situation: Mount Kelud, one of the active volcanoes in East Java, Indonesia, erupted Thursday (Feb. 13), with eight continuous explosions. The eruptions forced at least 201,228 people from 35 villages to evacuate their homes, and airports throughout the country are closed due to thick, hazardous ash fall and limited visibility. Lava flows are also affecting nearby rivers. Officials are worried …