Children's Disaster Services to work in Boston following bombing

A team from Children's Disaster Services (CDS) is traveling to Boston to help care for children and families affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

CDS staff have put together a team of four caregivers to respond to the Boston attack. The four, headed by CDS project manager Connie Rutt, will travel to Boston on Saturday morning April 20 and work in the Red Cross Family Assistance Center through the weekend.

CDS will send replacement volunteers on Monday if needed.

This response depends on security allowing volunteers into the city.

Established in 1980, Children's Disaster Services works cooperatively with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide care for children and families following disasters, through the work of trained and certified volunteers. CDS is a Church of the Brethren ministry.

CDS volunteers set up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers. Specially trained to respond to traumatized children, the volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos created by natural or human-caused disasters.

CDS also regularly offers workshops to train participants to understand and respond to children who have experienced a disaster, recognize fears and other emotions children experience during and following a disaster, and learn how child-led play and art mediums can start the healing process. Once participants complete a workshop and undergo a rigorous screening process, they may apply for certification to serve as a CDS volunteer.

For more information about Children's Disaster Services go to www.brethren.org/cds or call 800-451-4407 option 5.

Source: 4/19/2013 Newsline Special