By Jenn Dorsch-Messler
Brethren Disaster Ministries has received an additional grant from the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation. This $10,000 award will cover a portion of the final expenses of the Brethren Disaster Ministries tornado rebuilding site in Dayton that will be completely closed by Thanksgiving. Supported expenses include various volunteer housing and meal support; tools, equipment, construction materials and supplies; and vehicle-related expenses and fuel.
Previously, Brethren Disaster Ministries had received a $17,000 grant in at the end of 2020. Those funds covered the monthly cost to have volunteer housing available at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dayton for all of 2021 as well as other equipment, material, and vehicle-related expenses.
In May, Brethren Disaster Ministries also was awarded a $5,000 grant from the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) as part of their UPS 2021 Spring Long Term Recovery Grants. This grant helped to cover a portion of the costs for staff and project leader travel, supplies, and equipment for the work sites, as well as specific technology and printing expenses.
There are no longer weekly volunteer groups traveling to Dayton with the housing site closure at the end of October. Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding has now returned to Coastal North Carolina. However, several local volunteers are finishing up work on a few homes in Dayton and are working to pack and move the Brethren Disaster Ministries project equipment.
— Jenn Dorsch‐Messler is the director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. Give financially to the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries at https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/bdm.
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