July 22, 2009

ELGIN, IL – Children's Disaster Services is offering several workshops to train volunteers to work with the program. Children's Disaster Services has been meeting the needs of children since 1980, and is a Church of the Brethren ministry working cooperatively with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide care for children and families following disasters.

The Level I Volunteer Workshops are scheduled for August 10-11 in Milwaukee, Wis.; September 25-26 in Virden, Ill.; October 9-10 in McPherson, Kan.; and November 6-7 in Sykesville, Md. Cost for participants is $45 for early registration, or $55 for registrations made less than three weeks before the workshop begins.

The August 10-11 workshop will be at the Native American Ministry United Methodist Church in Milwaukee, Wis. (1738 S. 11th St.). Lorna Jost is the local coordinator (605-692-3390). This workshop is part of the United Methodist Volunteers in Missions "teachUM" conference and requires an additional charge of $20 for meals.

The September 25-26 workshop will be held at Virden (Ill.) Church of the Brethren (334 W. Dean St.). Charlot Cole is the local coordinator (217-370-5382). Macoupin County Public Health has given Virden Church of the Brethren and the Church of the Brethren's national office consent to host and train volunteers to provide childcare in the event of a disaster in the area, following the National Center for Disease Control (CDC) contacting all county Public Health Departments alerting them of a possible bio disaster sometime in the next five years. The CDC has further advised counties to develop a plan of preparedness.

The October 9-10 workshop will be at First Church of the Brethren in McPherson, Kan. (200 N. Carrie). Elva Jean Naylor is the local coordinator (620-241-3123).

The November 6-7 workshop will be at Wesley Freedom United Methodist Church in Sykesville, Md. (961 Johnsville Rd.) Mary K. Bunting is the local coordinator (410-552-1142).

Children's Disaster Services volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos that follows disaster by setting up and operating special child care centers in disaster locations. Parents are then able to apply for assistance and begin to put their lives back together, knowing their children are safe.

In 2008, more than 140 Children's Disaster Services volunteers spent 11,124 hours caring for almost 3,000 children after flooding and ice storms in the Midwest, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the Metrolink train accident in southern California, and California wildfires.

Earlier this year, a Critical Response Childcare Team that is a part of Children's Disaster Services provided child care for families of airplane crash victims following the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in which 50 people were killed near Buffalo, N.Y. The Critical Response Childcare Team also stayed on to care for children during memorial services and calling hours, as requested by the parents.

Information learned at the Level I Volunteer Workshops can be beneficial to anyone working with children. The workshops train participants to understand and respond to children who have experienced a disaster. The training is designed for people who have a heart and passion for children, and will help participants recognize and understand the fears and other emotions children experience during and following a disaster. Participants also learn how child-led play and various art mediums can start the healing process in children. Participants will experience a simulated shelter, sleeping on cots and eating simple meals.

Once the training is completed, participants have the opportunity to become a certified Children's Disaster Services volunteer by providing two personal references and a criminal and sexual offender background check.

Although many volunteers are motivated by faith, Children's Disaster Services workshops are open to anyone over 18 years of age.

The Children's Disaster Services office may be contacted at cds@brethren.org, or 800-451-4407 ext. 5. Go to http://www.childrensdisastercervices.org/, for more information about the program.

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 celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service