Material Resources

In order to collect and ship material resources to war-torn Europe after World War II, the Church of the Brethren established the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Maryland. Over the years, staff at the Brethren Service Center have worked with denominational and private nonprofit organizations to help meet needs of people in the U.S. and around the globe.

At the Brethren Service Center, Material Resources staff inventories, packs and ships goods routinely, as well as during times of crisis. The full-time staff of 13 have developed extraordinary expertise in preparing goods for emergency shipment, ensuring that material aid reaches its destination in good condition and on time.

Material Resources offers a variety of services, including:

Warehousing and inventory control:

• Climate-controlled 52,000 square foot area, including racked areas and bulk storage areas
• Cold storage in refrigerated area
• Perimeter electronic security system
• Vault area for securing small equipment and valuable stock
• IBM iSeries system is used for material location, inventory records and expiration date tracking
• Racking by pallets and individually
• Modern equipment, including two hi-lifts, one loader and electric walkers

Picking and packing:

• Packing area designed for convenient flow
• Custom crate construction
• Ability to strap containers with steel
• Skilled staff experienced in careful, efficient handling of a wide variety of goods and materials

Shipping and tracking:
Our extensive experience with handling import and export shipments allows us to tailor our services to your worldwide needs. We have the flexibility to set up systems and train personnel on short notice to solve your specific shipping or distribution problem. We have successfully and competitively handled:

• disaster recovery supplies (tents, tarps, water purification systems)
• equipment for hydro-electric dams
• books and training materials
• medicine
• medical supplies and equipment
• hospital furniture
• vehicles
• clothing

Purchasing: Staff can purchase goods on behalf of customers, whether the need is tools, parts, clothing, medical supplies, or building materials.

Clothing processing: Donated clothing is processed through sorting, bailing, coding, storing and shipping.

Long distance hauling: Two tractors, four trailers, and a 28' straight truck with tailgate lift make up the truck fleet. Truckers routinely pick up and deliver materials at Baltimore Washington International Airport and the piers of the Port of Baltimore.

Our clients include:

• Church of the Brethren  
• Lutheran World Relief   
• Church World Service    
• Interchurch Medical Assistance World Health 
• American Baptist White Cross
• Presbyterian Women’s Dept.
• Evangelical Covenant Church
• Feeding the Nations
• Global Assistance
• International Orthodox Christian Charities

Contact Material Resources by e-mail, or call 410-635-8795.