Children's Disaster Services Offers Volunteer Workshop In Roaring Spring

Children’s Disaster Services is offering a workshop to train volunteers in Roaring Spring on Nov. 5 and 6. The workshop will be held at Roaring Spring First Church of the Brethren. Kristine Shunk is the local coordinator (814) 643-0601.

The Middle PA District Disaster Response Team is hosting this event to help encourage and train persons to help with the children when a disaster occurs.

Children’s Disaster Services has been meeting the needs of children since 1980, working cooperatively with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide care for children and families following disasters.

Cost for attending the workshop is $55 for early registration, or $65 for registrations made less than three weeks before the workshop begins.

Children’s Disaster Services volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos that follows a disaster by setting up and operating special childcare centers in disaster locations. Parents are then able to apply for assistance and begin to put their lives back together, knowing their children are safe.

Information learned at the volunteer workshops can be beneficial to anyone working with children. The workshops train participants to understand and respond to children who have experienced a disaster. The training is designed for people who have a heart and passion for children and will help participants recognize and understand the fears and other emotions children experience during and following a disaster. Participants also learn how child-led play and various art mediums can start the healing process in children. Participants will experience a simulated shelter, sleeping on cots and eating simple meals.

Once the training is completed, participants have the opportunity to become a certified Children’s Disaster Services volunteer by providing two personal references and completion of a background check.

Although many volunteers are motivated by faith, Children’s Disaster Services Volunteer Workshops are open to anyone over 18 years of age.

The Children’s Disaster Services office may be contacted at [email protected] or (800) 451-4407. Go to http://www.brethren.org/cds for more information about the program.

Children’s Disaster Services is a part of Brethren Disaster Ministries of the Church of the Brethren, a Christian denomination committed to living out its faith in community. It counts about 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Haiti, and India.