Material Resources ships 27,000 pounds of clean-up supplies to Illinois, CWS appeals for help to restock.

Photo by Terry Goodger

Material Resources staff prepare to ships pallets of CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets to Peoria, Ill., in April 2013. Some 27,000 pounds of the cleaning supplies were shipped to Illinois to help homeowners clean up following spring floods and storms.

In response to storms and the flooding that has plagued the state of Illinois this spring, the Church of the Brethren’s Material Resources program has begun shipping clean-up supplies on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), an ecumenical partner.

Material Resources, based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., works on behalf of ecumenical partners and other humanitarian organizations to receive, process, warehouse, and ship disaster relief materials both within the United States and internationally. Loretta Wolf directs the program.

In late April, the Material Resources staff shipped 500 CWS clean-up buckets to DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in Wheaton--the equivalent of 14 pallets of buckets or 8,089 pounds of supplies.

Another shipment of 1,008 CWS clean-up buckets--28 pallets weighing 19,190 pounds--was made to the American Red Cross bulk distribution site in Peoria.

Heavy precipitation from early 2013 storms and floods in Illinois has resulted in widespread and severe flooding. The state has declared 48 counties as disaster areas. Flooding has occurred on numerous rivers and their tributaries, including the Mississippi, Illinois, Green, Spoon, Rock, DuPage, and Sangamon Rivers.

An appeal for help

Church World Service has issued an urgent appeal for people to help replenish its supply of clean-up buckets. “The CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets are giving hope and help to survivors,” said a release. “With needs assessment ongoing, CWS expects to respond to additional requests from Illinois and other states for buckets. When we do, we hope to be able to respond without delay.”

Church World Service, a global humanitarian agency, emphasizes the importance of faith community involvement in long-term recovery from disaster and enlists congregations in supplying Emergency Cleanup Buckets, blankets, and other CWS kits for shipment to disaster survivors every year.

For instructions to assemble a CWS Emergency Cleanup Bucket go to www.cwsglobal.org/get-involved/kits/emergency-clean-up-buckets.html.

Source: 5/17/2013 Newsline