Take one step, then another.  Try the water.  You’ll find it’s an awesome place to be.  The need is so great and the rewards are out of this world!

• Talk to your Pastor about the possibility of organizing for disaster response, not only taking care of your building and people, but of ministering to your community
• Talk to friends, relatives, and members of your church about the need for responding to your community after a disaster or the possibility of going to another city after a disaster to bring service and ministry.
• Set up a meeting where someone from Network of Hope can meet with your pastor, your board, some interested people, or all of the above.  Together you can discuss the possibilities for your church.

• Get some training for you and other members of your church.
  • One foundational training from Network of Hope is Early Response Training, a one day training that prepares you and credentials you for working in a disaster area.
  • A second foundational training from Network of Hope is a two-part (one day) class on Ministering to the Survivors of Disaster and Trauma and the Responder.

• Begin to discuss together what areas of interest your group would like to look into.  Don’t try to make everyone agree on one area.  A Neighborhood Center has numerous areas of ministry...….and you don’t have to have a large number of people to develop any one of the areas of ministry.  Anyone interested in a particular area of ministry can find others to join them.

• Determine who will be the Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator that will represent your church as you begin to network with other churches.  Come join the monthly Coordinators’ Meeting.  You will find that the relationships you develop there will be crucial after a disaster.

• Begin making these plans known in your church so others will become excited and want to join.

• Begin teaching your congregation the importance of their own personal preparation for disaster and their Christian responsibility to care for their neighbors who are not preparing.  Hand out Voluntary Registration Forms, Special Needs Registration Forms, Disaster Supplies lists, and other helps that you will find on this web site.

• Start a Collections Drive in your church to gather goods that will help whoever may have a disaster this year.  See our guidelines for collections and the Hideaway Storage information on our resources page.

Take some steps and you’ll find that your church can change your community.  …and your church will be changed in the process!  Network of Help will be there to help you along the way. Contact us.  We exist to help YOUR church be ready to minister to the great needs that arise after a disaster.