When a disaster happens – YOU in the UCC are involved through your contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing® that are used to provide emergency grants to UCC churches, to assist local Long Term Recovery Organizations to form, and to coordinate with local UCC churches for providing housing.  A network of UCC Disaster Coordinators appointed by their UCC conferences work with the Office for National Disaster Ministries in response to disasters in their region. UCC Conference Disaster Coordinators.

Long Term Disaster Recovery Organizations often take several months to form and ready themselves to receive volunteer groups to serve in long-term recovery efforts – far longer than the current U.S. news media cycle.  The Long Term Recovery Organization makes use of existing religious, community social services and volunteer programs, as possible.  It serves as a coordinating organization for the wide scope of disaster recovery needed in an affected community.   The Long Term Recovery Organization provides case management for home-owners, building materials, tools, local construction site coordinator and local volunteer coordinator.

Local UCC churches are coordinated through UCC National Disaster and Volunteer Ministries offices to provide housing accommodations for groups as ministries of hospitality and UCC identity.

The United Church of Christ has a visible and active denominational presence in local affected communities through the centralized registration system that utilizes a UCC long-term Partners in Service volunteer serving as the UCC registrar.  This system assists the local recovering community by providing a contact point for groups rather than the local volunteer coordinator responding to multiple requests.  It also helps your group navigate the multiple contacts needed with the local long-term recovery committee and group housing. 

Your continued contributions to Our Church’s Wider Mission,  One Great Hour of Sharing®, and special appeals for particular disasters, such as the Spring Storms appeal, make possible the UCC participation in disaster recovery.

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