God Speaks in the Midst of the Storm

MDS does its work through building relationships with clients, volunteers and communities – all of whom are transformed in the process toward healing and Mission Statement Mennonite Disaster Service experiencing God. is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches that responds in Christian love to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.

While the main focus is on clean up, repair and rebuilding homes, this service touches lives and nurtures hope, faith and wholeness.

MDS Annual Report 2011 2011 at a glance Binational Projects 22 Volunteers 6,183 26,605 2011 Long-term 210 volunteer days Short-term 5,706 MDS Summer Youth 163 were served by MDSers RV 104 in 2011 Clients Served 703 Projects Clean Ups 505 Minor Repair 101 Major Repair 37 Houses Rebuilt 34

Supporting MDS in 2011 Canada Donations $718,991 Donors 1,464 No. of Donations 2,005 Average Donation $359 US Donations $3,272,040 Donors 4,968 No. of Donations 7,159 Average Donation $457 Disaster Study Programs 2011 graduates 7 Canadian Mennonite University 3 Hesston College 15

Mennonite Disaster ServicE CORE VALUES Faith – As members of Anabaptist churches, we believe in and practice a life of service and proclamation founded on the Bible Minor Major Houses and modeled after the life and Project Location Disaster/reason VoLunteers cLean uPs rePairs rePairs rebuiLt* teachings of Jesus Christ. Alabama Birmingham (2011) 474 243 13 Service – We welcome all who are Phil Campbell (Storm Aid) Tornados (2011) 256 4 5 1 1 rebuild assist in our churches and others who 5 rebuilds share our values to join Christian service opportunities through Cordova RV Tornados (2011) 12 2 volunteering, praying and giving. Louisiana New Orleans (2005) 552 11 7 4 Compassion – We practice servant leadership, compassion and Diamond Hurricane Katrina (2005) 167 12 2 6 cultural sensitivity with fellow Cameron (2005), Ike (2008) 171 6 4 volunteers, constituents and those New Iberia Hurricane Rita (2005), Ike (2008) 107 3 we serve. New Iberia RV Hurricane Rita (2005), Ike (2008) 29 11 6 Relationships – We engage all Mississippi people, partners and organizations Columbus Warehouse 8 with mutual respect, humility and Pass Christian Hurricane Katrina (2005) 471 1 11 accountability. Gulfport Hurricane Katrina (2005) 435 10 Integrity – We work in an ethical, Ocean Springs Hurricane Katrina (2005) 20 3 1 honest, moral and legal manner. Missouri Sustainability – As God’s stewards, Joplin Tornados (2011) 2,566 125 20 3 2 we strive to incorporate quality Morehouse Floods (2011) 1 47 materials and workmanship, North Dakota and environmental awareness in providing safe, affordable and Minot Floods (2011) 484 50 4 sustainable housing. Rhode Island Westerly, RI (2011) – Early 5 7 History – We are guided by our and surrounding area Response MDS history of responding to Tennessee disasters through grassroots volunteerism, binational mandate Lyles Floods (2010) 212 17 1 and mutual aid. (based on Board Texas of Delegates review Oct. 25, 2010, Bastrop Fires (2010) 7 29 Core Team review Nov. 1, 2010, Marble Falls Camp Fire (2010) 43 1 staff review and Core Team review Dec. 2010) * Includes partial new builds Summer Youth Projects All projects were open 4 weeks Gary, IN Project: Kingcome Inlet, BC Rocky Mountain Worked with local Project: Worked Mennonite Camp long-term recovery with community Project: Worked with committee to rebuild leadership to repair camp administration homes that were homes that were on fire mitigation flooded by Hurricane damaged by a flood projects and other Ike in 2008; in 2010; camp repair projects; 67 volunteers 52 volunteers 44 volunteers MDS Board of Directors *Abe Ens P artnership Home Program *Gordon Friesen Nick Hamm Houses completed in 2011: 9 Freeman Hershberger Sponsoring group Homeowner Location Leonard Kennell North Leo Mennonite, Leo, IN...... home in Ertha, LA *Al Kroeker Mary Litwiller Hartville, OH Churches...... 5 homes in New Iberia, LA Esther McCoy Mahoning Valley Mennonite, Columbiana, OH...... home in New Iberia, LA Ross Miller Eastern Carolina District, Virginia Conference...... home in Cameron, LA Paul Unruh *Alfred Yoder ...... MDS Washington Unit home in Ramona, CA *I Ray Zimmerman

Local MDS Responses 2011 *Executive Officers a sampling of regional and local MDS activity “They’ve never before MDS Board of Delegates heard of a that Ed Buhler Ron Byler came down a mountain- Jim Dyck side, but that’s what one Jose Elizondo did in Pulaski; it came Willis Hochstetler David Hoover down and kept knock- Wilmer Hoover ing over houses,” said Jorge Jaramillo Bernard Martin, Chair William Mast of the MDS Shenandoah Catrina Miiller Terry Miller Valley Unit. Vernon Schmucker Albert Schrock Wayne Schrock Region I Region II Region III Region IV Region V Amos Schwartz ¢Responded to wildfires in ¢ Rebecca Sommers ¢Cleaned up ¢Continued with Partnership ¢Responded to a Greg Starr after a tornado in flood clean up and Bastrop, TX. Home house tornado in Sanford Swartzendruber pulaski, VA, and repair in Gary, IN. ¢Oklahoma Unit responded built in Ramona, Goderich, ON. the rebuilding ¢Responded to to seven tornados; repair CA, sponsored by ¢BC Unit responded Staff continues. flooding in and rebuilding continues the WA Unit. to floods in Arleta Martin, in Tushka, OK. ¢ Executive Assistant ¢Cleaned up after Brownsville, TN, Partnership Kingcome Inlet, Barbara Weaver, tornados in NC and Smithville, KY. ¢Iowa Unit responded Home house in BC, and sponsored Communications Assistant and Central PA. ¢Worked with to one fire, two flooding planning stages a youth project in Brett Troyer, ¢Cleaned up in Binational in locations and three for Arizona. Kingcome Inlet. Project Logistics Coordinator multiple locations Birmingham, AL, tornados. ¢Built three new Evelyn Peters-Rojas, ¢Kansas Unit cleaned up Human Resources & Project Coordinator after Hurricane after April 27 homes in Newfound- Heather Stauffer, Irene and Tropical tornados. after a tornado in land for survivors of Receptionist Storm Lee, ¢Cleaned up after Reading, KS. Hurricane Igor and Janet Plenert, including, VA, PA, tornados in ¢Arkansas Unit responded partially built one Region V Manager NJ, NY, RI, VT. southern states. to six tornados and home for a family Jerry Grosh, multiple Search and Director of Field Operations that lost their home Jerry Klassen, Rescue needs. to a fire. Disaster Response Coordinator ¢MO Unit responded to ¢Responded to Kevin King, Joplin, MO, tornado and flooding in all Executive Director working with Binational provinces. Lorraine Kehler Plett, to run the Joplin Project. Bookkeeper/Administrative Assistant ¢Sent many weekend Ron Guenther, ¢Responded to Minot, ND, volunteers to Minot, Director of Finance & Administration flooding and ontinuingc ND, to clean up after Sarah Yoder, to work with Binational in flooding. Coordinator of Volunteers Minot. Virginia Sauder, Administrative Assistant/ Database Administrator Executive Director’s Report 2011 Financial activity Extreme weather made 2011 a historic year in canada (CDN Dollars) United StateS (US Dollars) Canada and the United States. There was a billion- year 2011 2010 2011 2010 dollar Mid-Atlantic blizzard, deadly droughts and Beginning Net Assets 877,000 1,001,000 7,210,000 6,705,000 triple digit heat, the most extreme tornado season of all time, devastating wildfires and historic floods. RevenUe 833,000 939,000 3,606,000 3,596,000 Contributions and Grants 769,000 786,000 3,250,000 2,243,000 The Eastern US was hit by Hurricane Irene, and then, Capital Campaign 38,000 91,000 287,000 1,263,000 adding insult to injury, Tropical Storm Lee redoubled Other Revenue 26,000 62,000 69,000 90,000 the flooding. Canada saw major flooding in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec, expenditUReS 846,000 1,063,000 2,865,000 3,091,000 with more acreage under water than ever recorded, Program/Project 592,000 818,000 2,102,000 2,052,000 and Ontario was hit by strong tornados.* Supporting Activities 243,000 227,000 669,999 868,000 Fundraising 11,000 18,000 94,000 171,000

Hundreds of thousands of homes and business ending net assets $864,000 $877,000 $7,951,000 $7,210,000 were affected, their losses compounded by a weak economy. There have been more than 700 US disaster Program Project % 70.0% 77.0% 73.4% 66.4% and weather related deaths, most from the tornado Overhead % 30.0% 23.0% 26.6% 33.6% outbreaks in the spring.

This year, 6,183 MDS volunteers responded to the 2011 United States Expenditures needs with love and concern. These volunteers P rogram and supporting activities (US Dollars) gave 26,357 volunteer days to the disaster stricken communities, a value of $4,546,262.40 (based on a P rogram Leadership...... 157,000 modest volunteer rate of $21.36/hour**). Additional Gulf Coast Hurricanes ‘05 & ‘08...... 544,000 volunteers served in many Unit and Regional Spring Storms ‘11...... 399,000 responses. Other Binational Projects...... 184,000 Partnership Home...... 55,000 These unprecedented numbers are devoid of General Project Expenses...... 763,000 emotions until you look in the faces of disaster Supporting Activities...... 669,000 survivors, city officials, first responders, emotional/ Fundraising...... 94,000 spiritual caregivers, and other disaster response partners. As one of our volunteers in Alabama wrote, “The emotions of the people show plainly on their faces. I have seen grief, pain, frustration, joy, relief, 2011 Canada Expenditures and gratefulness etched in the face of each and every P rogram and supporting activities (CDN Dollars) person I have met and know that such emotions were probably mirrored in my own countenance.” Program Leadership...... 20,000 Gulf Coast Hurricanes ‘05 & ‘08...... 210,000 The presence of MDS has already made a huge Other Binational Projects...... 56,000 impact this past year. God is on the move, and it is Response...... 58,000 our duty to align our witness and work with God’s. Other Region V & Region V Unit Projects..... 7,000 The coming year will be busy. Thank you for your General Project Expenses...... 203,000 prayers and support! Capital Campaign Forward...... 38,000 Supporting Activities...... 243,000 To God be the Glory. Fundraising...... 11,000

Mennonite Binational Office 583 Airport Road, Lititz, PA 17543 USA Kevin King, MDS Executive Director Disaster Service 717-735-3536 [email protected] * Weather information from National Oceanic and Atmospheric mds.mennonite.net Region V Office Administration and Canadian Broadcasting Corp. 6A-1325 Markham Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3T 4J6 CANADA 866-261-1274 [email protected] Member **2010 volunteer rate value from www.independentsector.org National VOAD Cover photo: Gerald Loeppky and Ms. Elmarie at her house dedication in Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster New Orleans. Photography by MDS staff and volunteers.