United States Disaster Response
The United Methodist Committee on Relief U.S. Disaster Response (UMCOR USDR) seeks to alleviate suffering caused by disasters that strike within the United States and its territories.
With a “communities own their recoveries” philosophy, UMCOR supports local efforts to accomplish immediate relief and long-term recovery while providing for volunteers to offer compassionate ministry in the aftermath of disasters.
In partnership with disaster response ministries and coordinators in U.S. annual conferences, UMCOR journeys with affected communities throughout a disaster’s cycle, including disaster preparedness, relief, response, recovery and mitigation.
UMCOR’s Early Response Team (ERT) training program supports conference preparedness and immediate response efforts. Key activities for conference ERT and other response teams are supplying survivors with food, water, shelter and help with mucking out and cleaning up. UMCOR offers emergency financial assistance in the aftermath of a disaster to support local relief work.
For disasters that require long-term strategies, UMCOR provides conferences with expertise, grants and training for more extensive programming, such as disaster case management, materials and construction management, volunteer management and psychosocial support for survivors.
Current Response
UMCOR and its partners are responding to disasters in the United States every day.
read stories of impact
Hurricane Ian, whose maximum sustained winds of 150 mph tied it as the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States, made landfall in Florida on Sept. 28, 2022.
UMCOR has delivered 4,000 cleaning and hygiene kits, supplies of non-potable water and generators while ERTs help assess damage.
Areas in the Alabama-West Florida Conference has been hit by a steady stream of extreme weather disasters since Hurricane Michael struck in 2018. UMCOR has provided major support to the conference since then to meet each challenge