Church of the Brethren Newsline
July 20, 2017
Children’s Disaster Services volunteers have responded following flooding in New York State, and the program has been put on alert to send teams to respond to wildfires in California.
In related news, a training for CDS volunteers is scheduled at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren on Sept. 22-23. For more information or to register, go to www.brethren.org/cdsor contact onsite coordinator Gladys Remnant at 540-810-4999.
Also, CDS is distributing information about the American Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” campaign promoting the installation of smoke alarms in homes across the country. CDS and Brethren Disaster Ministries are official partners in the campaign, which began two years ago as the Home Fire Campaign. At least two Church of the Brethren volunteers have been active in installing smoke alarms through this program. The American Red Cross is looking to recruit 35,000 volunteers to combat the tragic statistics on home fires. Go to www.soundthealarm.org .
New York
CDS volunteers carried out a two-day deployment in response to recent flooding in the area of Utica, N.Y. The first day’s location was in Whitesboro, and the second day’s response was in Chadwicks. CDS provided three volunteers, who assisted a total of seven children. “All the families seemed very appreciative of the volunteers’ support and assistance,” said a report from the CDS staff.
California
CDS associate director Kathleen Fry-Miller reports that the American Red Cross has asked CDS to put together teams to respond to shelters set up for wildfire evacuees close to Mariposa, Calif. The Red Cross request was for teams to support 6 shelters with a population of 450 people displaced by the fire around Mariposa. “Many families have been evacuated. Would you be able to assemble teams to assist? They need them as soon as possible,” the request read. More information about the CDS response in California will be shared as it becomes available.
For more information about the ministry of Children’s Disaster Services go to www.brethren.org/cds .
Go to www.brethren.org/Newsline to subscribe to the Church of the Brethren Newsline free e-mail news service and receive church news every week.