Persons who wish to help with disaster recovery through MIDRO can do so in a number of ways.

1. Pray: Prayer helps those prayed for and those who pray.
Pray for those who have suffered because of disasters. Pray that God will comfort those who lost loved ones. Pray that God will give strength to those who must work so hard to pull their lives back together. Pray that the faith community will be able to mobilize the financial and human resources necessary to help survivors meet their needs.

2. Contribute: Money is the single most useful thing that people can contribute. Even after survivors have received insurance settlements, loans and grants from the federal government and the American Red Cross, many people are left with unmet needs. The faith community hopes to restore people to self-sufficiency by helping them meet these unmet needs. Please make a contribution to the disaster response ministry of your own denomination or faith group. If that is not an option, your contribution may be sent to:

Domestic Disaster Relief
Church World Service,
475 Riverside Dr.
New York, NY 10015.

3. Volunteer: Many homes and farms cannot be rebuilt with the money received from insurance and government. The labor of willing volunteers to clear debris, repair houses, build fences, and do the myriad other things that help people restore their lives is a gift that only you can give. To find out where volunteers are needed, to find out what kinds of projects are available for volunteer workers, or to offer your services, contact any Board member of the Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization whose contact information is listed on this web-site.

4. Donate needed material goods: Many good-hearted people and caring organizations wish to help in a concrete and immediate way. Often that care expresses itself in an outpouring of material goods—whether it is used clothing, teddy bears, or truckloads of building materials. Handling donated goods requires a process in place for receiving, sorting, warehousing, and distributing those goods. Donated materials cannot be used in a disaster-affected community without that capacity in place before the goods are received. Used clothing is almost never needed. Before collecting or sending material goods to a disaster-affected area, please be in contact with the your local Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is the most competent organization to deal with donated goods and can give you guidance in identifying what is actually needed.

5. Organize: The best way to manage a disaster whether from natural, human caused, or terrorist events is to be prepared and to take action before the event to minimize the damage from that disaster. In Missouri, many counties have established a Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) group or local Citizens’ Corps. Composed of local emergency services, public officials, private agency representatives, and members of local faith groups, this committee brings together all those who have responsibility and/or resources for disaster response. Find out if your county has a COAD and get involved or contact your city or county Emergency Management Agency to find out how to help start one in your community.