Mennonite Disaster Service

Network for disaster relief in North America

Mennonite Disaster Service

Formation| 1950
Focus| Disaster Relief
Location|

* Lititz, Pennsylvania, USA

Area served

| United States, Canada[3]

Key people

| Kevin King, Executive Director[1][2]
Revenue| $2,870,251 [1]
Employees| 11 [1]
Volunteers| 3,000+
Website| https://mds.org

The Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is a volunteer network through which various groups within the Anabaptist tradition assist people affected by disasters in North America.[3] The organization was founded in 1950 and was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1993.

The MDS currently involves more than 3,000 members of the Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ churches (BIC).[4][5][6] The primary focus of the service is cleanup, repair, and the rebuilding of homes.[7] The work of the group supplements the disaster relief provided by the Red Cross.[8][9] The Mennonite Disaster Service also works closely with Mennonite Central Committee.[4]

A quarterly newsletter called Behind the Hammer is published.[10]

The volunteer amateur radio group Mennonet provides communication services for MDS.[11][12] Radio equipment was first deployed by MDS in 1960.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Charity Report - Mennonite Disaster Service - give.org". charityreports.bbb.org. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
2. ^ "Staff | Mennonite Disaster Service". Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
3. ^ "Home - Mennonite Disaster Service". Mennonite Disaster Service. Archived from the original on 1 June 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
4. ^ "History | Mennonite Disaster Service". Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
5. ^ Kraybill, Donald (2001). The Riddle of Amish Culture. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 157–158\. ISBN 0-8018-6772-X.
6. ^ Wittlinger, Carlton (1978). Quest for Piety and Obedience: The Story of the Brethren in Christ. Evangel Press. p. 529\. ISBN 0-916035-05-0.
7. ^ "Mennonite Disaster Service" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-07-04.
8. ^ "Mennonite Disaster Service — GAMEO". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
9. ^ https://www.crossnet.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_300_,00.html[permanent dead link]
10. ^ "Newsletter | Mennonite Disaster Service". Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
11. ^ "News Releases Archives - Hesston College". Hesston College. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
12. ^ Detweiler, Lowell (2000). The Hammer Rings Hope: Photos and Stories from Fifty Years of Mennonite Disaster Service. Herald Press. p. 63\. ISBN 0-8361-9110-2.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Detweiler, Lowell (2000) The Hammer Rings Hope: Photos and Stories from Fifty Years of Mennonite Disaster Service. Scottdale PA: Herald Press. ISBN 0-8361-9110-2
* Wiebe, Katie Funk (1976) Day of Disaster. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press. ISBN 0-8361-1793-X
* Wiebe, Vernon (1960) Handbook for Mennonite Disaster Service Volunteers. Kansas: Mennonite Disaster Service. ASIN B0007G0VG0.

## External links

[edit]

* MDS Sowing Seeds of Service
* MDS on Youtube

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX