August 29, 2012

Brethren Disaster Ministries monitors progress of storm, Children's Disaster Services prepares volunteers to respond, Haitian and Dominican Brethren send updates

Brethren Disaster Ministries staff are monitoring the damage being caused by Hurricane Isaac – now downgraded again to a tropical storm – as it continues to make its way north across Louisiana, Mississippi, and other areas of the Gulf Coast.

Children's Disaster Service associate director Judy Bezon reports that CDS volunteers are on alert, ready to set up child care centers in shelters following the storm.

Roy Winter, director of Brethren Disaster Ministries, said that the Church of the Brethren initially will help support an ecumenical response by Church World Service (CWS), while he and his staff assess the need for eventual rebuilding project sites.

A Brethren grant to support work by CWS will be made possible by donations to the Church of the Brethren's Emergency Disaster Fund. Any Children's Disaster Services response also will be funded by the EDF, go to http://www.brethren.org/bdm/edf.html.

Newsline: Church of the Brethren New Service