Children's Disaster Services winds down response to flooding.

Children's Disaster Service is winding down its response to the flooding in Iowa and Indiana. "We have one center left open in Iowa (there were five), the one in Indiana closed on Saturday," reported associate director Judy Bezon. "We determine the date of closing after numbers of children show a steady decline."

The program has had five teams of childcare volunteers caring for children of families affected by flooding in Iowa and Indiana. The teams representing a total of 29 volunteers have worked in seven different locations. Children’s Disaster Services has cared for approximately 550 children in the response to the midwest flooding.

"There were over 40 additional volunteers ready to go had the need lasted longer," Bezon said, giving credit to the volunteers who were willing to "put their lives on hold and serve those in need."

The program also has monitored the need for Children's Disaster Services centers in the response to the wildfires in California. Bezon reported that there have been only three shelters open in California, with 19, 8, and no clients respectively, with no need for Children’s Disaster Services.

Source: 7/2/2008 Newsline