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. …
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 …
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: …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
News & Updates | Posted Sunday, February 2, 2014
In my twelve years on staff with CWS I have had the opportunity to really get to know and understand this organization. I have had the pleasure of personally visiting CWS partners and projects in Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic and most recently in Kenya and Tanzania. These partners and projects vary widely in their location, language, culture and focus, but …
News & Updates | Posted Thursday, January 9, 2014
I just got a little taste of what it’s like to be affected by a disaster and suddenly in need of a CWS Blanket. It was just for one night. But it was enough to remind me that disaster and need can hit anyone. And it was enough to make me proud of CWS and all who support our Blanket …