Humanitarian Relief & Recovery News & Stories

A new study on water access in the U.S., produced by DigDeep and the U.S. Water Alliance and supported by UMCOR and other partners, reveals that 2 million people in the United States lack access to indoor plumbing, safe drinking water and adequate wastewater sanitation.

Watch as school supplies are distributed to Mark Twain Elementary School in Oklahoma.

Through UMCOR funding, the Agricultural Development Association (PARC) in Palestine has implemented a project to enhance the food security of olive farmers in Eastern Gaza.

The Rev. Jenny Phillips, senior technical advisor for environmental sustainability, explores how the impact of climate change on natural disasters, global migration, health and agriculture intersects with God’s creation and our understanding of abundance and scarcity.

Church of the Reconciler UMC in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, uses an EarthKeepers grant to test the viability of increasing community plastic recycling and employment opportunities with a small-scale recycle business within the church.

Matt Lohmeier, Executive Dir. of San Antonio Justice for Our Neighbors(JFON) and Susan Hellums, Border Area Mission Coordinator of First United Methodist Church of McAllen discuss their firsthand experiences working with the growing population of migrants in Texas.

Even though Hurricane Harvey hit Texas over two years ago, there is still much work to do. Long-term recovery efforts are going strong thanks to the disaster response team in the Rio Texas Conference. Staff like Austin, Vicki and Nikki continue to be a reliable and compassionate presence in Harvey’s aftermath. To be most effective, they see the importance of building and strengthening relationships. Whether it is relationships with partner agencies, churches, community members, or even among the staff themselves, the Rio Texas Conference has seen great impact and progress in recovery by working together and supporting one other.

After a dozen years of a conference-to-conference In Mission Together connection between the Eurasia and Baltimore-Washington episcopal areas, relationships grow stronger and faith grows deeper roots as they develop ways to reach more people with Christ’s love.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief will enter its ninth decade led by Lara S. Martin who brings a strong background in international disaster response, public health and child welfare.

On the 10th anniversary of their death, Thomas Kemper remembers the life, ministry and mission of two Global Ministries staff members who died in the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Through small grants, the Encounter with Christ fund has nurtured Methodist mission and relationships in 26 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mertarvik, Alaska, the relocation site for Newtok, a Yu’pik village that lost much of its land to rising sea levels and eroding coastline, receives its first residents in newly built houses, complete with UMCOR-funded PASS sanitation units in each home.