When Burton Friesen agreed to accompany Benny Penner on a Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) home visit, he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. Penner, the Atlantic Canada Unit Chair, was responding to a call for help from Truro, Nova...
It’s “back to school” time. After retiring as finance manager for Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) several months ago, Glenn Hillard is thinking about “going back to school”—to MDS leadership training, that is! “My wife and I are...
From red doors to purple walls, from a galley kitchen to a more open design, disaster survivors have had an increasingly important influence on options for MDS-built homes. When MDS project directors sit down to talk with a disaster survivor...
As the edge of Hurricane Helene swirled over Iron Station, North Carolina, the 60-foot access bridge—built just three months ago by Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers—held fast and strong. On Sept. 27, resident Robert Hudson said, at...
Eight students received scholarships to serve with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) across Canada this summer. Stepping away from papers and required readings, and into four weeks of service with MDS, Grace Bahula loved the opportunity to work with...
As Hurricane Milton swept through Florida, Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) evacuated volunteers, moved equipment—and stood ready to respond as soon as it’s safe. In Port Charlotte, MDS Project Director Rollin Ulrich and 12 other leadership...
“People need help around here.” That’s why Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteer Alvin Hoover traveled to western North Carolina on a moment’s notice to participate in early response. “We really need to help them get out of their...
MDS is monitoring the potential impact of Hurricane Milton which is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. Milton is expected to make landfall along the Western Coast of Florida. The storm rapidly grew from category 1 to category 5 with...
In the early hours of a quiet morning, I was weighed down with concern for my son, Sean, who lives in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. Hurricane Helene had swept through the area, causing widespread damage — uprooting trees and...
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