DRS Sunday 2013
About DRS
SERVICES DRS PROVIDES
World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) responds to disasters in a variety of ways. These include:
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Early assessment - before teams can be sent into disaster areas, information must be collected in order to know how we can best help.
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Rapid response - This phase of DRS' response addresses the clean-up needs by mucking out, removing downed trees and completing minor repairs after a disaster, especially covering roofs to protect homes from the elements. Rapid Response is a great opportunity for a group that is able to organize quickly.
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Needs assessment - Needs Assessment is the process of going door to door in disaster affected communities to inventory unmet needs, and provide a database of these needs to a community organization.
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Organizational Capacity Building - This phase of DRS' response assists local recovery organizations and helps them expand their ability to help disaster survivors.
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Reconstruction - When the "Green Shirts" (DRS volunteers) go into an area, a contract is signed and DRS stays the course - repairing/rebuilding damaged homes - until what we promised is delivered.
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Groups - From 1 volunteer to many, a group partners with a local organization in a disaster affected area doing work from cleanup to reconstruction.
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Community Development Consultation - Helping local recovery organizations move from disaster response to addressing the long-term needs of their community is the last phase of DRS's work.
World Renew DRS works in partnership with the National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (National VOAD) and Church World Service (CWS). Periodically, stories of our activities may be seen on the Disaster News Network (DNN).
MISSION STATEMENT
- To show God’s love and bring hope to disaster impacted communities in North America by restoring the homes and lives of those who are most vulnerable,
- To help communities build their capacity to prepare for and recover from disaster, and,
- To provide opportunities for Christians to honor the Lord by using their time, talents and financial resources in service to others.
CONTACT DRS
Disaster Response Services
400 76th St SW, Ste 17
Byron Center, MI 49315
drs@worldrenew.net
| Toll-free: 1-800-848-5818 ~ Local: 616 965-2355 | Email Address | |
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Bill Adams (director) |
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Joyce Boerman (office manager) |
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Kellie Scholma (assistant to program manager) |
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Sue Kuipers (systems coordinator) |
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Luanne Mellema (administrative assistant) |
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Becky Purdom (volunteer program manager) |
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Art Opperwall (program manager) |
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Shirley Ritsema (assistant to volunteer program manager) |
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CONTACT DRS REGIONAL MANAGERS
DRS Regional Managers volunteer their time to represent DRS across the US and Canada. The US and Canada is divided into regions and the Regional Managers monitor their assigned area for disasters.
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Wyoming and Washington
Jay De Boer - cell phone (253)-209-5186
California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Pacific Rim
Don & Gert Vos - cell phone (209) 815-8312
Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Nebraska
Don & Ardy Pranger – cell phone (616) 617-4290
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida
Len & Carrie Blauwkamp - cell phone (616) 826-3737
Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington DC
Rick & Bonnie Wiersma - cell phone (616) 460-3238
Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin
Edwin & Helen Mulder - cell phone (219) 789-9780
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York State, Rhode Island, Vermont
Doug & Pat Guikema - cell phone (616) 745-3035
New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, also New York City and Long Island, NY
Gary & Lynne DenBesten - cell phone (616) 881-1540
Western Canada
Henry & Linda Visscher - cell phone (780) 668-0700
Eastern Canada
Tony & Jennie De Weerd - cell phone (905) 978-3190
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR CHURCH & FAMILY
Help your congregation understand and put into practice preventitive measures to prepare for the event of a disaster. Contact Sue Kuipers at 1-800-848-5818 for a copy of "Wind and Water Mitigation Practices for Hardening Homes".
Volunteer Opportunities
SHORT & LONG TERM
See the Opportunity PDF in the resources section at the bottom of this page.
Long Term Opportunities
Short Term Opportunities
For groups or individuals that can volunteer 1 day or more:
Situations are changing almost daily in areas hard-hit by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. There are likely to be needs--and opportunities for groups over the coming months in--Missouri, Alabama, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, North Dakota, Texas, Mississippi, and possibly other locations. Work may include cleanup or reconstruction. Contact us for the latest updates!
For more information about these and other group opportunities contact Art Opperwall or Kellie Scholma at 800-848-5818 or email drs@worldrenew.net
Current Activities
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
World Renew Regional Managers are assisting long term recovery groups in New York and New Jersey as they prepare for community assessments of unmet needs in response to Hurricane Sandy. World Renew has already sent teams to assess the unmet needs after Hurricane Sandy to Bergen County, New Jersey; Cape May County, New Jersey, Hudson County, New Jersey; Monmouth County, New Jersey; Ocean County, New Jersey; Long Island, New York; and Somerset County, Maryland.
For more information contact Becky Purdom at 800-848-5818 or bpurdom@worldrenew.net.
RECONSTRUCTION
SCRANTON (HYDE COUNTY), North Carolina - CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER
Disaster: Hurricane Irene, August 2011
Regional Managers: Rick & Bonnie Wiersma
Hurricane Irene brought strong winds, rain and flooding to the Atlantic coast in August 2011. A DRS Rapid Response team was sent to the area shortly after Hurricane Irene swept through the area. This team mucked out homes that were flooded by Irene.
DRS was welcomed into the community in February 2012 by North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and volunteers started the work of repairing and rebuilding homes destroyed by Hurricane Irene.
SCHOHARIE, New York
Disaster: Hurricane Irene, August 2012
Regional Managers: Doug & Pat Guikema
Major flooding occurred in Schoharie after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee made their way through the area in August 2011.
DRS sent an Unmet Needs Assessment team in to assess the unmet needs of the community for S.A.L.T. Recovery. Soon after the unmet needs assessment was finished talks where underway to set a reconstruction site up. DRS has been rebuilding and repairing homes since July 2012. Because this site is in the northern part of the United States it is open April – December.
GROUPS
For groups or individuals that can volunteer one day or more...
Teams are desperately needed to help individuals and families recovery not only from recent disasters but from those that are no longer on the forefront of our minds.
Current locations include, but are not necessarily limited to:
o Union Beach, New Jersey - response to Hurricane Sandy, October 2012
o Hyde County, North Carolina - response to Hurricane Irene, August 2011
o Schohaire, New York - response to Hurricane Irene, August 2011
o Shamokin, Pennsylvania - response to Hurricane Irene, August 2011
o Henryville, Indiana - response to tornadoes, March 2012
o Menifee County, Kentucky - response to tornadoes, March 2012
o Northeast Alabama - response to tornadoes April 2011
o Franklinton, Louisiana- response to Hurricane Isaac, August 2012
o LaPlace, Louisiana - response to Hurricane Isaac, August 2012
o Live Oak, Florida - response to Tropical Storm Debbie, June 2012
o Piedmont, Missouri - response to flooding, April 2011
o Joplin, Missouri - response to tornado, May 2011
o Minot, North Dakota - response to flooding, June 2011
o Mussellshell, Montana - response to flooding, Spring 2011 and fires, June 2012
At each location, World Renew partners with a local recovery organization and housing, costs, and meal preparation vary from site to site. Because we build a relationship with so many partners across North America, we are able to schedule work teams just about any week of the year. For Frequently Asked Questions and other general guidelines, please see "Planning A Short-Term Mission Trip With World Renew" under resources at the bottom of the page.
For more information contact Art Opperwall or Kellie Scholma at 800-848-5818 or email drs@worldrenew.net.
