Disaster Response Services

Mission Statement

• To show God’s love and bring hope to disaster-impacted communities in North America by restoring the homes and lives of those who are most vulnerable,

• To help communities build their capacity to prepare for and recover from disaster, and,

• To provide opportunities for Christians to honor the Lord by using their time, talents and financial resources in service to others.

World Renew DRS carries out its mission through services at every stage of recovery, in partnership with other organizations and volunteers.

Services

World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) responds to disasters in a variety of ways. These include the following and are made possible by volunteers. 

• Early Assessment - In the days and weeks immediately following a disaster, trained volunteers provide spiritual care to survivors, network with other responding organizations and gather information that will be used to plan longer term support.

• Rapid Response - This phase of DRS' response addresses the clean-up needs through trained volunteers by mucking out flooded homes, removing downed trees and completing minor repairs after a disaster, especially covering roofs to protect homes from the elements.

• Unmet Needs assessment - An Unmet Needs Assessment is the process of conducting a community survey to identify those with unmet needs, generally several months after a disaster when the local recovery group is operational and most homeowners know the financial assistance they will be receiving from insurance and the government. This information is then used by the local recovery group to respond to and meet the needs of those in their community.

• Organizational Capacity Building - This phase of DRS' response provides training and guidance to local recovery groups, equipping them to expand their ability to help disaster survivors over the long term.

• Reconstruction - When a relationship is built with a local recovery group to such a degree that DRS is invited to set up a long-term reconstruction site, a contract is signed and DRS sends continuous teams of skilled construction volunteers to repair and rebuild homes.

• Group Mission Trips - Groups of volunteers from churches, schools, families or businesses work with a local recovery group in a disaster affected area doing work from cleanup to reconstruction.

• Community Development Consultation - Helping local recovery organizations move from disaster response to addressing the long-term needs of their community is the last phase of DRS's work.

• Construction Estimating - Trained volunteers make personal visits to homes to determine appropriate materials, skills and time required for repair and construction. This information is then provided to the local recovery group to use for planning the recovery process. 

World Renew DRS works in partnership with the National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (National VOAD) and Church World Service (CWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Periodically, stories of our activities may be seen on the Disaster News Network (DNN).

For Churches

DRS Sunday

Find how your church can support disaster survivors. Visit worldrenew.net/drssunday to learn more.

Disaster Preparedness

If a tornado came through your town on a Wednesday night, does your church have a plan for the groups that might be meeting at church that night? Are important documents in a safe place in the event of a flood? Visit worldrenew.net/prepare-disasters for a step-by-step develop a disaster preparedness plan for your church. 

Activities This Month

Below is a summary of planned activities for August 2017. Click here for a pdf of the below. 

Canada

Alberta
World Renew reconstruction volunteers are building and repairing homes in Fort McMurray in response to the 2016 wildfires.

Ontario
A needs assessment took place in Constance Bay in response to summer flooding.

British Columbia
In response to recent wild fires, the World Renew area representative for BC is connecting with local and provincial response effort. Staff have contacted with BC churches who are responding to the needs of evacuees and fire responders.

United States

Arkansas
Regional managers attended the Arkansas VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters) meeting in July.

California
Regional managers are organizing sporadic volunteers to work on homes in Calaveras County in response to 2015 wildfires.

Georgia
Regional managers report that the recovery group in Albany continues to use the information gathered during the World Renew needs assessment this spring.

Illinois
Regional managers are meeting with leaders in Ottawa County to discuss response efforts after a recent tornado.

Kentucky
Regional managers are working with a community hit by storms, providing guidance on the long-term recovery process.

Louisiana
World Renew regional managers continue to work with several parishes to assist them as they continue to recover from 2016 floods and will be visiting Tangipahoa Parish this month.

Michigan
World Renew regional managers are connecting with Michigan VOAD and churches in Saginaw and Midland in response to flooding.

Missouri
In response to May’s flooding, World Renew regional managers continue to meet with several communities to assist them in their recovery efforts, offering World Renew services that could be of benefit. A needs assessment is planned for two areas, Ripley and Carter, in August. Regional managers are also on conference calls regarding late July flooding in Kansas City.

New Jersey
World Renew is supporting Super-storm Sandy recovery efforts in Cape May.

North Carolina
World Renew is making plans to open a reconstruction site in Tarboro this fall in response to Hurricane Matthew and regional managers are working with the Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts in Cumberland County. There is one one-week group in North Carolina in August.

South Carolina
World Renew regional managers continue to connect with long-term recovery groups in South Carolina in response to the 2015 flooding. A short-term site will be opening in Manning this fall.

Texas
Reconstruction sites in San Marcos and Rio Grande Valley closed for the summer. Project managers are working to ensure smooth reopenings this fall.

Washington
There is one one-week group in Washington in August.

West Virginia
There is one one-week group serving in West Virginia in August.
 

CANADA

Alberta

World Renew reconstruction volunteers are building and repairing homes in Fort McMurray in response to the 2016 wildfires. 

Ontario

World Renew regional managers are connected with churches and the NGO Alliance in Ontario to determine how World Renew can best help after recent flooding. 

Quebec

World Renew regional managers are connected with churches in Montreal regarding May flooding and will work with local responding efforts to find out how World Renew can best help.

British Columbia

Regional managers have been on conference calls regarding recent flooding.

UNITED STATES

Florida

Regional managers are connecting with several communities recovering from Hurricane Hermine and Matthew, both of 2016, to see how World Renew can assist.

Illinois

Staff are working on a new opportunity for groups to serve in Ottawa in response to a recent tornado.

Kentucky

Regional managers are working with the Office of Kentucky Emergency Management on a possible unmet needs assessment for a small community that sustained damage from straight line winds. 

Louisiana

World Renew regional managers continue to work with several parishes to assist them as they continue to recover from 2016 floods. There are two one-week groups serving in Louisiana this month.

Michigan

World Renew staff continues to work with the long term recovery group in the Detroit area in response to the July 2014 flooding. There are two one-week groups volunteering in Detroit this month. World Renew regional managers are connecting with Michigan VOAD and a Christian Reformed Church in Saginaw in response to June flooding.

Mississippi

World Renew regional managers are connected with communities recovering from the January tornado to offer services to aid in recovery.

Missouri

In response to May’s flooding, World Renew regional managers continue to work with recovery efforts in Van Buren, presented long-term recovery orientation to Carter County, and are connecting state-wide with the recovery efforts.

New Jersey

There are two one-week groups serving in Union Beach this month.

North Carolina

World Renew is making plans to open a reconstruction site in Tarboro this fall in response to Hurricane Matthew. Regional managers are working out the details with World Renew’s longtime partner in North Carolina, the United Methodists. 

South Carolina

World Renew regional managers continue to connect with long-term recovery groups in South Carolina in response to the 2015 flooding. A short-term site will be opening in the fall in Manning. There is one one-week group serving in South Carolina this month.

Texas

The reconstruction sites in San Marcos and Rio Grande Valley closed for the summer. Both sites will open again in the fall.

Washington

There is one one-week group serving in Okanogan County this month

West Virginia

Regional managers recently attended the state VOAD meeting to report on World Renew response activities since the June 2016 flooding. There are six one-week groups serving in West Virginia this month.