US Disaster
What Does U.S. Disaster Response Do?
Often the winds of a storm haven’t even stopped blowing when Convoy of Hope’s U.S. Disaster Response team rolls in. Convoy of Hope is considered a “first responder” organization in disaster relief. Our mission is to address physical and spiritual needs.
A key element of our response efforts is our partnership with the local church. We believe the local church, through volunteer mobilization, can be vital in serving and be the face of hope and help. U.S. Disaster Response facilitates relief efforts between churches and other organizations to help best serve the needs of survivors.
What is now U.S. Disaster Response began in 1998 when Convoy of Hope responded to a flood in Del Rio, TX, after Tropical Storm Charley. Since then some of the well remembered response efforts are Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington D.C., Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne that hit Florida in 2004, and the catastrophic storms of Hurricane Katrina and Rita that pummeled the Gulf Coast in 2005. USDR has also provided relief to victims of fires, tornadoes, ice storms, power outages and floods through out the United States.
With our fleet of trucks, 300,000 square foot warehouse, Mobile Command Center, and utilizing the first response P.O.D. (Points of Distribution) model, USDR has become an active and efficient disaster relief organization, providing resources and help to victims in the first days of a disaster.
Convoy of Hope USDR has identified four levels of disaster which are used to determine how best to serve a community in need. They include:
Preparedness
Response
Relief
Recovery
These four phases tend to be embraced throughout the industry as standards, and have become important benchmarks to Convoy of Hope in determining to what kind of response is needed for an impacted community to return to state of stability.
Our success is due in part to strong relationships with the faith-based community, and national and state disaster relief organizations. Some of those relationships include NVOAD (National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster), the State of Florida, the Assemblies of God, and North American Mission Board.
When Convoy of Hope is not responding to disasters, they are focused on disaster preparedness. Nationwide polls indicate that 7 out of 10 people are not prepared to survive three days following a natural or man-made disaster. It is our desire to see local churches and cities come together to help their citizens learn how to be prepared. Through such initiatives such as H.O.P.E. Event (Helping Others Prepare for Emergencies), Convoy of Hope USDR brings local churches and community organizations to the same table. This enables both groups to meet and begin working together to train individuals, families and churches how they can be prepare and respond in times of disaster.
For more information on U.S. Disaster Response, please e-mail us at or call 1-417-823-8998.
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