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Situation Report Update
U.S. Spring Storms
May 23, 2011
Tornadoes ripped through more United States towns this past weekend, including Joplin, Missouri, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since spring began, there have already been 18 federally declared major disasters in 14 states due to severe storms, tornadoes, or flooding.
Today PDA has been in contact with Synod Executive Nancy Kahaian of the Synod of Mid-America and the acting general presbyter for John Calvin Presbytery, which serves southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri, where the massive tornado struck Sunday, May 22. Kahaian has been in touch with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in the area. At least one Presbyterian Church was damaged, and some members of the denomination are among the many families who have lost their homes. In addition to homes, the community has suffered major damage to public structures, including schools, fire stations and a hospital. Both triage centers and emergency shelters filled quickly, reports the Associated Press.
Georgia is one of 14 states with federally declared major disasters this spring due to tornadoes, storms, or flooding. Photo by Judith Grafe, FEMA.
PDA National Response Team members have been requested in Missouri and are en route to the affected area.
NRT members are also seeking information following the tornado which struck the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area on Sunday, killing one person and injuring 18 others. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly was held in Minneapolis in 2010.
One Great Hour of Sharing funds are available to assist Middle Governing Bodies with immediate needs as they begin to assess the impact of a disaster on their communities and how they can help respond to that impact.
Future Volunteer Teams
PDA’s new Associate for Hospitality, Rick Turner, is in conversation with several congregations that are interested in potentially hosting volunteer work teams in disaster-affected communities across the United States in the coming months. NRT members will work with such congregations to assess the level of need in their communities, the capacities of the congregation and their presbyteries, and resources available from PDA to assist with hosting. If they determine that there is an appropriate level of need and capacity, they will work together to organize hospitality for clean up and/or reconstruction volunteers.
A critical component of PDA’s ministry of disaster recovery reconstruction, Long Term Recovery Organizations (LTROs) review the needs of impacted families and determine what resources are available to assist in their recovery. These organizations are essential to work with case management – matching together the willingness of volunteers with needs in the community. “PDA is a long-term, needs-driven organization,” says Turner. When PDA National Response Team members visit a presbytery that has been impacted by disaster, one of the issues they discuss is the need for LTROs.
PDA is grateful to the many teams who understand the need to walk with survivors when they are ready to rebuild, which is often after the media attention has faded. More than 100 volunteer work teams have already registered their interest in serving. Teams also continue to serve in volunteer work team hosting sites in other areas affected by disasters over the past few years.
Please continue to stand in the GAP for survivors in this response.
Give
Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing support this and other disasters immediately when they occur. Additional gifts to DR000148 support disaster relief and recovery around the world where most needed, and gifts to DR000015 support disaster response in the United States, including response to the many spring storms across the nation during the previous weeks.
Act
- Request the PDA Rapid Information Network email newsletter to receive email notices about this and other disaster responses.
- Register your volunteer work team for upcoming or current opportunities around the United States by calling (866) 732-6121, or register your team’s interest online.
- Assemble Gift of the Heart Kits. After disasters, Church World Service hygiene, clean-up, school, and baby kits are often needed. Because congregations and other groups work throughout the year to keep the distribution sites stocked, the kits are ready to be disbursed as soon as disaster strikes. With recent storms widespread, there have already been many requests for kits, and they continue to arrive.
More than 14,000 hygiene kits have been distributed since the spring storms began, and nearly 500 clean up buckets have been shared. Please consider this hands-on mission of assembling hygiene kits or clean up buckets. Instructions are now available as a bulletin insert.
Pray
Pray for disaster survivors, loved ones of those who have been lost, congregations in the affected communities, and rescue workers helping in the response. Pray that the God of peace will guide all those involved, and that the hope of Christ will be evident through those offering assistance.
The Office of Theology and Worship has provided a new Service of pastoral care for those who have lost a home to earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, or other disaster. It can be adapted for specific needs and local circumstances.