Severe flooding struck central Texas beginning on July 4, as torrential rains from a stalled storm system caused rivers, especially the Guadalupe, to rise rapidly and overflow. Communities across the Hill Country have suffered devastating losses,...
In 2017, schools of redhorse suckers streamed through a culvert into Jeanne Gauthier and Steve MacKenzie’s flooded yard. They were so plentiful that an organized response was needed to return the fish to the Ottawa River. That was the first time...
Fifty-eight young people with the Mennonite Children’s Choir of Lancaster embarked on a musical tour from June 11-15, bringing the gift of music and hope to areas affected by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Carrie Warner, music program...
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) has partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to service a large reception centre for wildfire evacuees in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since last Friday, MDS volunteers have welcomed evacuees to the centre, at 770 Leila Avenue,...
Chris Cooper’s boot prints pressed into the concrete porch. At first you don’t see the boot prints gently pressed into the concrete porch in front of the 1904-era home in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. But they tell the story of a place that...
On May 28, the Government of Manitoba declared a provincewide state of emergency as wildfires intensified, threatening communities in northern and eastern Manitoba. Evacuation orders have been issued for the city of Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation...
After a mile-wide tornado tore through southern Kentucky on May 16, Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers from Ohio are engaged in early response, removing damaged trees and debris in the London and Somerset communities. MDS Regional...
What’s “mitigation” mean? Simply put, it means “building back better.” That’s something Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers do wherever they serve. For homeowners, mitigation means being able to sleep at night knowing that their...
“It was his orientation. He was always helping.” Gord Friesen reflected on his father Cornelius (C.N.) Friesen’s volunteer history with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), a commitment that spanned more than a half-century. C.N.’s personal...
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