After travelling to Alberta to meet with local officials, World Renew’s Bill Adams announced that the organization would commit to working in the area for the long-term with a specific emphasis on the City of High River.
“For a variety of reasons, I think it is important that World Renew make a commitment to High River,” said Adams, the Director of World Renew’s Disaster Response Services (DRS). “The devastation from the floods is particularly bad there. 94% of the homes were impacted along with 100% of the city’s infrastructure. Because the sewage plant was compromised, the flood waters ended up including raw sewage which entered into most of the homes.”
World Renew volunteers have already been helping to muck out homes, pump out water, and do other clean-up. This additional response will include community organizing, training for community leaders on long-term recovery, a door-to-door assessment of unmet needs, as well as repairs and reconstruction of flood-damaged homes. The first step is to help the community establish its own leadership group.
“World Renew advocates that the community be not just involved in the disaster response activities but actually take the lead for the recovery,” said Adams. “This is the model that we’ve found to be the most successful.”
At meetings last week, World Renew staff encouraged church and community leaders to set up a local committee that would lead the recovery effort, including case management, construction coordination and spiritual care. Adams noted that church and community leaders who were at the meeting were very receptive to this idea. They plan to take it to the City’s leadership right away and expect for it to be approved.
Once the committee is operational, World Renew will provide them with training in long-term recovery and expects to be asked to send in teams of volunteers to conduct an assessment of needs that remain unmet after insurance claims and government grants have been provided.
Following this assessment, World Renew would provide additional volunteers to rebuild and repair homes.
“The needs in High River are overwhelming and won’t be met in a few short weeks or months,” said Adams. “God has given us the mission of bringing help to a hurting world, and we are now being called to High River. Through God’s grace and the generosity of our supporters and volunteers, we hope to be able to stay for the long term, to truly help people get back on their feet.”
To join this response, please pray for the people of High River and for World Renew Disaster Response Services volunteers and staff. Your gifts are also urgently needed.
or call or send your gifts marked “Southern Alberta Flooding” to:
World Renew US
2850 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49560
Ph: 1-800-55-CRWRC
World Renew Canada
3475 Mainway
P.O. Box 5070 STN LCD
Burlington, Ontario, L7R 3Y8