Brethren Disaster Ministries temporarily suspends volunteer travel to rebuilding sites, Children’s Disaster Services postpones spring training workshops today. “After considerable discussion and prayer, BDM has made the decision to temporarily suspend all volunteer travel to rebuilding sites.” Two upcoming Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) trainings are being postponed and rescheduled to minimize non-essential travel for trainers and
The Church of the Brethren staff planning events this spring and summer do not intend to make any cancellations because of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). However, they are assessing risks and monitoring information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other health authorities to plan ahead for eventualities and circumstances beyond their control. Brethren
— Gieta Gresh has resigned as camp administrator for Camp Mardela in Denton, Md., one of two camps in Mid-Atlantic District, effective the end of August. She and her husband, Ken Gresh, will move to Pennsylvania following the 2020 summer camp season. She has served in the position since April 2005. In an online post Gresh said,
In this issue: Remembering the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, personnel and job openings, registration is open for this summer’s workcamps, CDS training workshops, SVMC continuing education opportunities, a report from the 65th general assembly of TEKAN in Nigeria, MLK Day Celebration at Bridgewater College and the town of Bridgewater, the 2020 Ecumenical Advocacy Days, new Bible app for Week of Prayer, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) deployed a team to Beaumont, Texas, in response to the flooding from Tropical Depression Imelda. The team arrived Sunday, Sept. 22, and began serving children in Beaumont and Silsbee, Texas, the following day. CDS is a program within Brethren Disaster Ministries. Since 1980, its trained and certified volunteers have been meeting
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS), a program of Brethren Disaster Ministries, stood ready to assist where needed once Hurricane Dorian made its impact on the US. The American Red Cross requested CDS deploy two teams to provide childcare in evacuation centers in North Carolina prior to the hurricane’s arrival. Two additional teams were on stand-by for
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) deployed two Critical Response Care teams at the request of Red Cross in response to two mass shootings in the past month. CDS Critical Response Care teams are specially trained CDS volunteers who work with children after an incident such as terrorism, transportation disasters, or mass casualty events.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has announced its fall training workshop line-up. The training workshops are for those interested in volunteering with CDS, and for returning volunteers to re-certify. Go to www.brethren.org/cds for more information and to register.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has begun a response to the tornadoes that devastated areas of Missouri and Iowa in recent days. CDS is a program of Brethren Disaster Ministries that since 1980 has been meeting the needs of children and families by setting up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers. CDS volunteers are specially trained to respond to traumatized children by providing a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos created by disasters.
Heavy and widespread mid-March snowstorms led to the beginning of major flooding in the US Midwest. Rivers are still rising and flooding may worsen with the expected heavy rains that may fall in the next several weeks. Flooding along the Mississippi River, James River, and Red River of the North, and many of their tributaries, is causing extensive flooding in Nebraska, Missouri, South Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas. Already many homes, businesses, crops, stored grain, roads, and bridges have been destroyed in these communities.
