Mennonite Disaster Service Canada Inc. (MDSC)

What we offer

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Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches that responds in Christian love to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.

While the main focus is on clean up, repair and rebuilding homes, this service touches lives and nurtures hope, faith and wholeness.

MDS has been responding to disasters in Canada and the USA since 1950.

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Location/Structure in Ontario: 

Ontario MDS Unit Chair: Nick Hamm, hammnicholas.mds@outlook.com, 905-401-3990

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We respond with a volunteer network to cleanup, repair, and rebuilding homes that have been affected by disaster.

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Preparedness: 

MDSC has provincial chapters (Units) in all the Canadian provinces except Quebec, with functioning, organized volunteer boards, each with a leadership executive. Our volunteer base is connected through our Unit membership and local church representatives. Each Unit has fully equipped tool trailers and vehicles ready to respond. Units collaborate with volunteers and equipment as required.

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Response

MDSC responds by assisting the most vulnerable in a community impacted by disasters – people who would not otherwise have the means to recover on their own due to age, ability, lack of insurance or other circumstances. MDSC specializes in clean-up of residences, neighbourhoods and farms after floods, windstorms and fires with its large pool of volunteers, leadership and equipment.

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Short-Term Recovery & Rebuilding

MDSC’s response can be for a day, a week, a month or more, depending on the size and scope of the response. Using skilled leadership and volunteers of varied skill, the recovery can be to repair damaged homes to rebuilding complete homes.

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Long Term Community Recovery

MDSC collaborates with long-term recovery organizations (LTRO), other agencies and businesses. If a LTRO is not in place MDSC will assist in organizing one often in partnership with other agencies. MDSC prefers to work with the local LTRO to identify the highest need in their community and work as long as is required to address the local recovery needs.