Office of Disciples Volunteering

Sequence of Response following natural disasters

• Disaster Strikes;
• Week of Compassion Contacts are made;
• Communication begins between Week of Compassion, Disciples Volunteering, and Regions;
• Preliminary site visit, Memorandom of Understading (DV and congregation serving as Mission Station) and Disaster Network activated;
• Begin publicity of needs and recruiting volunteers;
• Transportation of tools, showers, and housing trailers.

One day to three months: Initial Response

• Revmove debris
• Begin cleanup
  
• Cut and gut
  
• Remove downed trees (w/waiver)
  
• Meet basic needs (food, water, structure)
  
• Define needs and communicate them
  
• Secure residence (such as covering windows, doors)
  
• Setup Mission Station
  
• Begin assessments with photos
  
• Add needs and recruitment to data base

Three to nine months: Intermediate Response

• Continue cleanup
• Cut & gut
• Take photos and do assessments
• Paint
• Rebuild on structurally sound property:
  • Drywall hanging—no finishing
  • Roofing (no Asbestos, no shake shingles, no clay tile, nothing over 5 and 12 pitch, no metal roofs, nothing over one story)
• Minor home repairs

9+ Months Long Term Recovery

• Rebuilding
  
• Building
  
• Bringing Closure to Assignment
  
• Exit Strategy

Age limits

Volunteer job description developed for each stage of response with appropriate age level

Volunteers determined by appropriate skill set & abilities needed for each stage of response & recovery

1st Three Months: 18 years and over
3 months and beyond: 16 years and over

Purpose and philosophy

• The purpose of Disciples Disaster Response Ministry is to provide a means whereby individuals and groups may be responsive to human need following a disaster. 
• Regardless of location, size or severity of damage, the church strives to be immediately available. 
• We seek to express the faith that has called us together in Jesus Christ by being accessible to all whose needs can be filled by compassion. 
• We seek not to either compete with or replace other agencies. 
• We thereby work together with other expressions of the church ecumenically and society in general. 
• We are called to serve and be faithful by being immersed in the Spirit and changing lives. 
• In all the work that is done in response to disaster, we seek to affirm the value of those in need as well as the ministry of those who respond to that need. 

Core values

• People called into mission in partnership with neighbors in need.
• Everyone is a child of God and therefore there life and wellbeing are to be valued.
• We are instruments of healing in a broken world by being the hands and feet of Christ.
• Faith in action makes a difference.
• With Christ like eyes we meet people as they are.

Best practices

• Standard church building use form for mission station;
• Standard organizational and communications chart;
• Standard training of leaders;
• Standard registration and volunteer protocol;
• Regular review and update of disaster response manual;
• Volunteers- do we have repeats;
• Provide leadership, training and resources for mission trip leaders;
• Identify and prepare possible mission station for the future;
• Working in partnership to maximize resources ( play well together );
• Emphasize safety in all aspects of our work;
• Encourage spiritual reflection;
• Leaders taking time for mental health.