Northwest District of Iowa Annual Conference, including Woodbury and Monona Counties. The Missouri River runs the length of both Woodbury and Monona Counties from Sioux City south to Onawa Iowa. Many, many acres of farmland were flooded along with aprox 40 homes, most of those are near Sloan, Iowa and Onawa Iowa. We are working with the county EMA's and homeowners to get projects set up. At this time we anticipate 4-6 homes that will need volunteer help with everything from cleaning out to hanging drywall and painting.
Mapleton, Iowa, after the April 9, 2011 tornado, a huge percentage of the homes and businesses in Mapleton (pop1200) and the surrounding area were damaged, many have been rebuilt or repaired. This summer there are several new homes planned as well as work on parks, landscaping, tree planting and general clean-up.
Southwest District of Iowa Annual Conference, including Harrison, Fremont, Pottawattamie and Mills Counties. The Missouri River runs the entire length of all four counties from Mondamin, Iowa all the way to Hamburg, Iowa. Thousands and thousands of acres of farmland were flooded, many roads washed out and entire communities affected. There will be many needs here this spring and summer. We are working with the county EMA's and homeowners to get projects set up. At this time we anticipate 20-25 homes that will need volunteer help with everything from cleaning out to hanging drywall and painting. Volunteer housing is being established in Shenandoah, Iowa. If you wish to volunteer in the Southwest District please contact Southwest District Disaster Response Coordinator Vicki Wedemeyer.
South Dakota - Pierre / Fort Pierre. Flooding from the Missouri River complicated lives last year. The Pierre/Ft Pierre SD area is in need of rebuild team assistance. The current primary need is drywall hanging and taping. This is an ecumenical effort with United Methodist Disaster Response Case Management, Lutheran Disaster Response Volunteer Management and Presbyterian Church-USA housing. Donations for housing and materials are strongly encouraged.
West Ohio - ATHENS and MEIGS COUNTIES,Roger Thatcher, ERT trainer and District Disaster Response Coordinator in West Ohio writes, '"Been busy in Athens & Meigs county - a lot of people are going to have a difficult holiday period, pray for them all that they can accept the "new normal" in their lives'. Contact Rogerif you can field a team or just yourself, to give some time and work to recovery in these two counties of West Ohio - who were really devastated by the September tornadoes. Housing available at Camp Otterbien (Methodist Church Camp) of at Coolville UMC in Coolville, Ohio.
Domestic VIM (Volunteers In Mission)
The North Alabama Conference is in desperate need of rebuild teams in several areas of the conference. Local volunteers and out-of-conference teams visiting the North Alabama Conference will be working on several homes affected by the April 27, 2011 tornadoes. Projects during the spring and summer include framing, roofing, blacking in homes, siding and interior needs as well. Housing will usually be in a church on cots or the floor, but some areas have bunks and beds. Cost is $100 per person, and teams work Monday-Friday, coming in on Sunday and leaving Friday or Saturday. Visit www.rebuildnorthalabama.org for more information, or call 855.862.8657.
The Louisiana Conference is ready to welcome UMVIM teams to the clean-up from Hurricane Isaac. Hurricane Isaac arrived on August 29, 2012 on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. And though Isaac did not bring about the amount of damage caused by Katrina, a reported 178,000 residences around the New Orleans area were hit. Hardest hit are many areas that were not usually in the flood prone areas.
Volunteer teams provide both spiritual and physical support to those who are in need of friends. Volunteers bring the gift of God’s love as they swing hammers, gut homes, hang sheet rock while taking time to talk and laugh and hug those whose lives have been turned upside down. Your help can change lives and show the light of Christ in word and action.
We are now inviting our UMVIM friends to register to come to the Gulf Coast to help with this ongoing response. Every team must have a trained and certified UMVIM team leader.
Volunteer housing has been organized in five churches in close proximity to the worst hit areas. There will be cots, restrooms, kitchens, showers, and washers and dryers available for visiting groups. The case managers will be identifying those who need help the most, and the project manager will provide the guidance for the work to be done. Volunteer today to serve on a disaster response team by visiting http://www.la-umc.org/pages/detail/1761
