Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is preparing to hold three new volunteer training events in March, April, and May 2025. Upcoming CDS Volunteer Training events are as follows:
“Give now to support California wildfire response through Brethren Disaster Ministries,” said an appeal shared by denominational staff this week. “Children’s Disaster Services is already responding to the needs of children and families. Working with the Pacific Southwest District and partner organizations, Brethren Disaster Ministries is planning to address short- and long-term needs of vulnerable people impacted by the fires.”
Recent grants made from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) have been directed by Brethren Disaster Ministries to extend aid to organizations working in response to humanitarian needs created by the war between Israel and Hamas, with the violence now extended beyond Gaza into the West Bank and Lebanon
The director of Brethren Disaster Ministries, Jenn Dorsch-Messler, traveled through Virginia and North Carolina the week of Oct. 21 to visit with Church of the Brethren district and church leaders. The trip responded to the impact of Hurricane Helen in both states.
The Church of the Brethren’s aid and relief response following Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton continues on the denominational, district, and congregational levels. Here are some updates
On Sept. 10, Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, Nigeria, and its surrounding areas were hit by a devastating flood, leaving thousands of people in dire need of immediate assistance. The disaster, caused by the overflow and breach of the Alau Dam in the neighboring Konduga Local Government Area (LGA), has affected an estimated 1,020,340 individuals across four LGAs: Maiduguri, Jere, Mafa, and Konduga.
Staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries continue to work with district leaders to help coordinate response efforts including the collection and distribution of relief materials and donations for emergency funding–especially for the hardest-hit areas in Southeastern District. Another conference call with district leaders is planned for Friday afternoon, Oct. 11. Brethren Disaster Ministries urges church members
Church World Service (CWS) is sharing updated kit distribution numbers and information about relief efforts following on the recent hurricanes. To date, CWS has coordinated the shipment of 4,372 Clean-Up Buckets, 8,720 Hygiene Kits, 5,890 blankets, 1,205 Menstrual Hygiene Kits, 590 School Kits, and 72 Welcome Backpacks to partners in Florida and North Carolina (a
CDS has two teams of volunteers serving in North Carolina. The four volunteers in “Team Fletcher” have been serving children and families at a shelter in Fletcher, N.C., since Thursday, Oct. 3. This response is in partnership with the Red Cross. When they arrived, the shelter housed 300 people, and there was a boil water
As media report that the death toll from Hurricane Helene has topped 200–with more than half of the deaths in western North Carolina–Brethren Disaster Ministries and Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) have begun active responses to aid survivors of the storm and its aftermath.