March 8, 2012

ELGIN, IL – The Church of the Brethren and its Brethren Disaster Ministries program has given a grant from the denomination's Emergency Disaster Fund in response to a plea from Church World Service (CWS) for funds for communities across the US affected by the tornado outbreak on Feb. 28-29 and March 2-3.

Another Emergency Disaster Fund grant has been given to aid those affected by violence in Syria.

Children's Disaster Services (CDS) is sending volunteers to Multi Agency Resource Centers in Moscow, Ohio, and Crittenden, Ky., and waiting for confirmation of another location in Missouri to provide care for children affected by the storms.

"It is anticipated that these MARCs will be open for four to five days or longer if the need persists," reports associate director Judy Bezon. In these locations, teams of trained and certified CDS volunteers will care for children while parents apply for assistance and attend to other needs.

It is still too early to tell how Brethren Disaster Ministries may be involved in long-term rebuilding efforts following the tornadoes. The program is supporting immediate response efforts by CWS through the grant of $7,500. The money will help CWS respond in 13 states.

"BDM does not normally provide direct assistance in the form of cleanup or chainsaw crews on a national level," said coordinator Jane Yount, "as there are a number of other organizations whose mission and structure is well suited for this type of work – just as BDM is well suited to repair and rebuild homes.

"Many people are wondering how they can help. Following a major disaster such as this, it is always advisable to follow the lead of the affected communities with regard to volunteers and donations. At this time state and local emergency operations are underway in many areas, and access to some of them is limited or prohibited.

"The message coming from the affected areas is ‘Cash is King.' Monetary donations are currently needed and will continue to be needed to ensure a sustained recovery and rebuilding of these communities. Unsolicited in-kind donations can clog the system and prevent the most needed supplies from reaching the disaster survivors quickly."

Brethren Disaster Ministries will post updates as assessment progresses. Yount said: "Please keep all tornado survivors and response workers in your prayers." Find her current update at http://www.brethren.org/bdm/updates/bdm-tornado-update.html. Support the grant from the Emergency Disaster Fund by donating online at http://www.brethren.org/edf.

Other grants made from the Emergency Disaster Fund:

A grant of $8,000 for Syria responds to a Church World Service appeal following an 11-month political crisis in the Middle Eastern country. The related violence has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of people displaced within Syria and thousands more seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The money supports the work of CWS and its partner, International Orthodox Christian Charities, in responding with food packages, relief kits, household supplies, and training for community health care workers.

Brethren Disaster Ministries requested a grant of $15,000 for its Ashland City, Tenn., rebuilding site, established following flooding in May 2010. This grant supports completion of the work in Cheatham County and surrounding areas. Funds will underwrite operational expenses related to volunteer support, including housing, food, travel expenses incurred on site, training, tools, and equipment, and will pay to transport tools and equipment to other work sites or headquarters once the work at Ashland City is completed. Prior grants for this project total $85,000.

A grant of $2,500 has responded to a CWS appeal following a series of severe storms in several southern US states in January. The grant helped pay for the processing and shipping of material goods, and for long-term recovery group start-up grants and training.

Skilled electricians are needed

Brethren Disaster Ministries needs skilled volunteer electricians to help rebuild homes in Minot, N.D., where flooding last June damaged or destroyed thousands of homes. Since the flood, the city has struggled to meet the needs of many of its residents. BDM is working closely with FEMA and other National VOAD member organizations to recruit and mobilize volunteers to assist with specific work. A shortage of local licensed electricians has created a backlog of work that threatens to hinder the recovery. BDM seeks electricians to do residential wiring in flood damaged homes. The need is immediate, with 90 homes waiting for wiring to be completed before reconstruction can continue. Specific criteria for volunteer electricians: needed immediately and through the next few months; must be Master level or Journeyman; must be willing to serve for a minimum of two weeks. Through BDM's partnerships, selected individuals will be provided with round-trip transportation, food, and lodging.

Call Brethren Disaster Ministries at 800-451-4407 for more information.

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 123,000 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 New Service