Bridges newsletter (on small screens)
- Washington City supports asylum seekers bused to nation’s capital
Due to numerous humanitarian crises around the world, thousands of people are seeking asylum in the United States, some of whom make perilous journeys to the southern border. In April 2022, the state of Texas began sending many of these asylum seekers in buses to Washington, D.C., without plans for their care or in coordination with the city government or others in the area.
- Lisa Crouch resigns from leadership of Children’s Disaster Services
Lisa Crouch has resigned as associate director of Children's Disaster Services (CDS), a ministry of Brethren Disaster Ministries and the Church of the Brethren. She will conclude her work at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., on March 31.
- ‘Please continue praying’: Brethren Disaster Ministries responds to earthquake in Turkey and Syria
“Please continue to pray for survivors in the affected areas [of Turkey and Syria] who face the trauma of losing homes and loved ones, continued aftershocks, living out of doors without basic amenities/food and in freezing temperatures, and in danger of diseases such as cholera. Their needs are great and will continue to be great for a long time to come. Please also pray for all the official and unofficial responders.” -- Brethren Disaster Ministries
- EDF grants continue Nigeria Crisis Response, send aid to South Sudan
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to continue the Nigeria Crisis Response through 2023 and to support a response to flooding and conflict in South Sudan.
- Brethren Disaster Ministries monitors needs as California experiences extreme weather
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff are monitoring the re-occurring storms and flooding in California and their damage, and sending prayers for those who are affected. The staff have reached out to leadership of Pacific Southwest District and received word that they have not heard from any Church of the Brethren congregations experiencing issues, either for their church buildings or their members.
- Brethren Disaster Ministries announces a new rebuilding site location for 2023
Starting in 2023, a new rebuilding project by Brethren Disaster Ministries is scheduled to open for volunteers to serve in Dawson Springs, Ky. One year ago, on Dec. 10, 2021, this community was devastated by a tornado that destroyed an estimated 75 percent of the town and killed 15 people.
- Mid-Atlantic District volunteers work with Brethren Disaster Ministries to restore a home for Christmas
A group of Brethren Disaster Ministries volunteers from the Church of the Brethren’s Mid-Atlantic District served in Somerset County, Md., this week to help restore a home before Christmas.
- Emergency Disaster Fund aids Tennessee, Puerto Rico, Florida, Honduras, Uganda, and Venezuela
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) grants to support a rebuilding project in Tennessee, the work of Children’s Disaster Services and Church of the Brethren congregations in Florida following Hurricane Ian, flood recovery work of the Christian Solidarity Program for Honduras, a flood relief program of the Church of the Brethren in Uganda, and a flood relief program of ASIGLEH (the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela).
- Hurricane response efforts continue
Church of the Brethren ministries are assisting survivors of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona through shipments by Material Resources, Children's Disaster Services teams in Florida, and acts of love and compassion in Puerto Rico.
- Online art auction supports Ukraine crisis response
Beginning Friday, Oct. 14, an online art auction to support the Ukrainian crisis response, overseen by Brethren Disaster Ministries, will open and receive bids for 180 donated art items.
Bridges newsletters
Bridges – Fall 2022 (2 MB)
2022 Hurricanes Response, BVS Volunteer Joins BDM Rebuilding Team, North Fort Myers Church of the Brethren: Responding to God’s Call, and more
Bridges – Summer 2022 (2 MB)
Ukraine, Children’s Disaster Service and Rebuilding updates, disaster response auctions, and more
Bridges – Winter 2022 (1 MB)
Hurricane Florence long-term recovery, winter tornado response, volcano response in DR Congo, Homes for Haiti, Nigeria Crisis Response update, CDS news, and more
Bridges – Fall 2021 (1 MB)
CDS updates, Nigeria Crisis Response, volcano relief in DRC, Afghan refugees, Haiti earthquake response, Rebuild updates, and more
Bridges – Summer 2021 (1 MB)
Hurricanes, tornadoes, migrating children, volcanoes, and northeast Nigeria
Bridges – Winter 2021 (1.8 MB)
2020 reports (BDM, CDS, Nigeria Crisis), hurricanes in Central America, Puerto Rico celebration, house blessings, and more.
Bridges – Fall 2020 (293 KB)
Rise up Brethren! COVID-19 pandemic grants, DR Congo flood relief, Lebanon explosion, Iowa derecho response, and more.
Bridges – Summer 2020 (904 KB)
Choosing to serve in these challenging times: COVID-19 grants, CDS updates, Rebuild news and plans, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo
Bridges – Winter 2020 (1.50 MB)
EDF grant supports district response to Puerto Rico earthquakes, Home sweet home, Angels serving after forgotten storms, Wrapping up in Nichols, S.C., Rebuilding updates, Hurricane Dorian response in the Bahamas
Bridges – Fall 2019 (1.34 MB)
Puerto Rico partnership, CDS updates, American Red Cross honors CDS volunteers, Rebuilding news, border crisis, Nigeria progress, Hurricane Dorian – Bahamas
Bridges – Summer 2019 (699 KB)
Rebuilding updates, Puerto Rico, VOAD conference, South Sudan relief, cyclones hit southern Africa, CDS updates
Bridges – Winter 2019 (435 KB)
Art, CDS news, Puerto Rico recovery, USVI report, upcoming disaster auctions, 2018 report, Nigeria update, Honduras flood response, and more
Bridges – Fall 2018 (1.04 MB)
Hurricane response, Rebuild update, CDS deployments, Nigeria Crisis, lessons during the hurricane
Bridges Summer 2018 (837 KB)
Puerto Rico: The race to rebuild; DRSI in the USVI; Kathy Fry-Miller retirement announcement; BDM at National VOAD 2018, and more.
Bridges – Winter 2018 (414 KB)
Children’s Disaster Services report, Hurricane Maria response, Rebuild program update, disaster response in Missouri, Nigeria, and more.
For older back issues of Bridges, contact the BDM office.