Humanitarian Relief and Recovery
Global Ministries seeks to strengthen the ability of the church and communities to respond to disasters and provide humanitarian relief both near and far. The core of this work is accomplished through disaster relief and recovery, risk-reduction programming, addressing the needs and rights of migrants worldwide and improving livelihoods and food security. The intentional care of creation and advancing environmental sustainability also reduces the impact of disaster.
Explore our ministries
International disaster response and recovery works with partners around the world to provide immediate relief for food, water, shelter and other necessities as well as long-term recovery, reconstruction and risk reduction.
In the U.S., disaster response and recovery are accomplished in partnership with annual conferences and local partners to prepare for disasters, provide relief following a disaster and through long-term support.
UMCOR works with partners to examine the causes of migration and to care for refugees and migrants and the churches and networks that assist them. This includes promoting the adoption of practices that make migration safe and respect the rights and dignity of all migrants.
The Yambasu Agriculture Initiative supports episcopal areas in new agricultural projects utilizing United Methodist land holdings. The focus of the current work is in Africa and honors Bishop John K. Yambasu.
Global Ministries fosters the integration of environmental sustainability into every aspect of mission through environment-focused projects, tools and leadership development. Trainings through the EarthKeepers program environmentally based projects in the United States.
Relief supply kits help provide care for the most vulnerable during times of crisis. Discover the kinds of kits UMCOR distributes and how to assist in this ministry.
Global Ministries offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for those wishing to work with humanitarian relief and recovery. Find ways to volunteer with this work.
Read Stories of Impact
As the war in Ukraine escalates, UMCOR engages with more partners inside and outside Ukraine to care for war-weary people whose lives have been disrupted and overburdened with loss. Since July, more than $14 million in new grants have been approved to continue United Methodist war relief through UMCOR.
Conference Disaster Response teams from the Florida and North Carolina annual conferences explore the benefits of mobile solar-powered generators while responding in real time to power needs in Florida after Hurricane Ian.
Twenty-seven farm and technical operatives of the Bishop John K. Yambasu Agricultural Initiative (YAI) from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe are learning agricultural entrepreneurship skills at a two-week training at Songhai Center – a research, teaching and production center in sustainable farming in Port Novo, Benin.