Record Details:

Mennonite Disaster Assistance (MDS - NY Unit - NYVOAD Member)

Website: http://mds.mennonite.net/

Other Contacts:(hidden)

Mission: OUR MISSION

Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network through which various constituencies of the Anabaptist church can respond to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.

While our main focus is on clean up, repair and rebuilding homes, this activity becomes a means of touching lives and helping people regain faith and wholeness.

MDS HELPS THE MOST VULNERABLE

MDS is the organized response of our churches to the needs of "neighbors" in time of disaster. We endeavor, in the spirit of Christian love, to follow Christ's example by giving time, talents, and energies to help relieve suffering caused by disasters.

We understand the ministries of listening, cleanup, repair, reconstruction to be examples of "the cup of cold water" given to those in need.

MDS focuses on helping the most vulnerable: the elderly, the handicapped, single parents, the unemployed, the uninsured and the underinsured. Our focus is on helping those who are not covered by traditional means of recovery.

THE MDS NETWORK

The MDS network is divided into five regions of response. There are four regions in the United States and one region in Canada. Each region is managed by regional officers and a regional director.

Each MDS region is divided into units. Units often follow the geographic boundaries of provinces and states.

MDS’s Administrative offices are located in Akron, Pennsylvania. and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

GOVERNANCE

MDS activities are governed by a board of directors in conjunction with a board of delegates.

The board of directors meets several times per year while the Board of Delegates is an advisory group designed to meet one time per year to carry advice and guidance from the many constituencies to the MDS Board of Directors, and alternatively, to carry the messages and decisions back to their constituency groups. The Board of Delegates serves as an advisory group to the board of directors.





This organization provides Temporary or Permanent Service? Temporary

Notes:

From the NYVOAD Member Directory:

Disaster Program
The Mennonite, Brethren in Christ, and related Anabaptist constituent churches, in keeping with their Biblical and Christian service theology, respond through Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) to help meet the needs of disaster victims. Special emphasis will be placed on helping those least able to help themselves, such as the elderly, handicapped, widowed, etc. Although the major thrust of our traditional disaster assistance is in the areas of post-disaster cleanup and building repair, MDS personnel are willing to expand their areas of involvement where there is a need and when a sufficient number of volunteers are available.

MDS workers are volunteers who serve without pay. They carry out their disaster assistance activities, supported by the larger regional and bi-national network, in a spirit of cooperation with the various agencies of the government and with other volunteer disaster service organizations. The major contribution of MDS to most disaster situations will be supplying volunteer personnel for cleanup, repair, and rebuild operations. In most cases, the MDS organization will not provide resources for housing materials, anticipating that these will come from other sources. MDS will require no fees for services provided, although support via Red Cross, local Interfaith, etc., for food and housing for volunteer personnel is usually welcomed and appreciated.

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