At MDS, our goal is to restore hope for survivors of disasters. We do this by recruiting, organizing and empowering volunteers to repair and rebuild the homes of those impacted by disasters in Canada and the U.S.
We strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those affected by disasters.
We respond to disasters, rebuild homes, and restore hope by organizing and empowering volunteers in the U.S. and Canada.
We welcome all who share our values and who want to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by disasters. No construction experience or skill is required; just a willing heart and hands. Learn more about volunteering with MDS.
MDS grows out of an Anabaptist/Mennonite perspective of peace, justice and service. We believe in following Christ daily in life through service to others. We accept and support the Mennonite World Conference statement of Shared Convictions.
Our Core Values
We believe in and practice a life of service and proclamation founded on the Bible and modeled after the life and teachings of Jesus Christ
We engage all disaster survivors, volunteers, and partners with mutual respect, humility and accountability
We intentionally work with one another inside MDS and with partner organizations.
The Cross is at the center of our logo because Christ is at the center of our work. MDS volunteers serve in the name of Christ.
The Handshake in the MDS logo represents the primary relationship between MDS volunteers and the clients we serve. Effective disaster response begins with working partnerships between organizations, agencies, and individuals. Many of these partnerships begin and end with a handshake.
History of MDS
For generations of Mennonites and other Anabaptist groups, mutual aid has been an informal practice of expressing their faith in the day-to-day actions of caring for one another. Through spontaneous gestures of assistance, such as the well-known barn raising, the Anabaptists put their faith into action when fellow church members or neighbors faced calamity.
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MDS Board of Directors
Responsible for governance, strategic oversight, and decision-making.
Board Leadership
- Wayne Yoder — Chair
- Aaron Groff — Vice Chair
- Niels Lichti — Treasurer
- Sally Unrau — Secretary
Regional Representatives
- Woody Driver
- Ivan Shirk
East Coast
- Mitch Kingsley
- Fred Hershey
Midwest
- Lana Tieszen
- Phillip Bridgewater
Plains States
- Sally Unrau
- Mary Yoder Holsopple
West Coast
Conference and Affiliated Representatives
- Wayne Yoder — Conservative Mennonite Conference
- Aaron Groff — Lancaster Mennonite Conference
- Ivan Shirk — Groffdale Conference
- Mannie Flaud — Old Order Amish
- Dave Brubacher — MDS Canada
MDS Board of Delegates
Provides input, represents member churches, and supports the work of MDS.
Board of Delegates
- Robert Brenneman — New Order Amish
- Margarita Bloodworth — Member-at-Large
- Becca Cordes — Mennonite Church USA
- Karen Shelly Smucker — Member-at-Large
- Elizabeth Troyer-Miller — Member-at-Large
- Paul Yoder — Beachy Amish
- Sue Ewert — Member-at-Large
- Don Rheinheimer — Member-at-Large
- Scott Soden — The Brethren Church
- David Zarate — U.S. Mennonite Brethren
- Dan Yoder — Member-at-Large
- Moses Troyer — Member-at-Large