May 25, 2006

ELGIN, IL – Disaster Child Care, an ecumenical program that is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board, trains volunteers to set up child care centers in disaster locations.

The centers provide crisis intervention for children who have been affected by disaster, and help care for children while their parents or family members seek assistance following a disaster.

Anyone with a genuine love for children (18 years of age and older) is welcome to attend one of this summer's training events and apply for certification.

Training workshops will be held June 16-17 at Grace United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Ga.; June 23-24, at Fruitland (Idaho) Church of the Brethren; June 23-24 at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County in Tampa, Fla.; and Aug. 11-12 at Roanoke (La.) United Methodist Church.

Registration costs $45 if postmarked three weeks prior to the workshop, $55 if postmarked later. Registration covers all materials, meals, and overnight accommodations during the training.

To register or for more information contact coordinator Helen Stonesifer at 800-451-4407 (option 5). A registration form can also be obtained from http://www.disasterchildcare.org/.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

Church of the Brethren Newsline