We love to serve

We serve to love MDS

Annual Report 2010

WE SERVE TO LOVE“We serve to love; we love to serve,” based on 1 John 3:18, highlights what MDS is about every day at every project.

In 2010, MDS had over 2,300 volunteers that left home and served more than 26,000 days in 23 project locations. �eir tools consisted of chainsaws, mops, brooms, rakes, hammers, tape measures, front-end loaders, and skid steer machines. We like saying MDS responds, rebuilds, and restores. �e results from our strategic planning process emphasized another “r”— that is to relate. Relating to homeowners has been underrated in MDS. It’s important that we build relationships with homeowners, not just with our fellow Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ volunteers.

I think of Ms. Geneva from New Orleans who shared how she prayed that someone good would come into her life — someone she could trust and would not take advantage of her. She was tired of paperwork and permits. MDS came and helped rebuild her house. Stories abound this past year of volunteers stopping to work and pausing to pray for homeowners.

God calls his people to be a light in a world of brokenness and fractured relationships. We are to join the work of God’s kingdom in order to make a difference in the world. Volunteers

2010 AT A GLANCE

19 BINATIONAL PROJECTS

2,391 VOLUNTEERS Long-term 307Short-term 1,835Summer youth 145RV program 104

117 CLIENTS SERVED Clean ups 14Minor repairs 64Major repairs 24Houses rebuilt 15

working together lifted many burdens. In ad-dition to the MDS binational response, many MDS units and regions responded to local disasters.

I am very grateful for our donors and volun-teers who demonstrated their trust in God’s abundant resources by giving of their time, talent, and resources.

To God be the glory.

KEVIN KING, MDS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

26,281 volunteer days were served by MDSers in 2010.

MDS does its work through building relationships with clients, volunteers and communities — all of whom are transformed in the process toward healing and experiencing God.

Deanna Myers was one of 155 volunteers who helped build the new binational office and warehouse in Lititz, Pa.

MDS is a member of National Voluntary organizations Active in Disaster.

“I’m excited to come back home. We’re finally getting where we’re supposed to be.” CARMALITA SYLVE, GRAND BAYOU, LA.

CONTINUING TO RESTORE HOPE IN THE GULF

“Our community out in Grand Bayou, we’ve been there for 300 years actually,” recounts Carmalita Sylve. “My grandmother used to tell me stories about how Grand Bayou is so small, you can put a plank across it and just walk across it. Almost like a paradise. �e people are nice, you know, you can come over at any time.”

Sylve is one of the 1,658 Gulf Coast disaster survivors MDS has worked with since Hur-ricane Katrina. �e unprecedented $8 million donated to MDS to fund projects has been used to help restore 20 communities in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama over the past five and a half years.

“�e invoices and accounting were meticulous and efficient. … �ey were absolutely good stewards of the money we gave them,” reported one volunteer in an evaluation conducted about MDS’s Gulf Coast response. Interviews of more than 160 clients, community partners, volunteers, project directors, staff and fellow faith-based partners found that MDS is highly

FIVE+ YEARS IN THE GULF COAST

Number of volunteers 16,511Volunteer days worked 124,347Clean ups and repairs completed 1,560Houses rebuilt 98

MDS also coordinated Partnership Home Program projects with 17 different churches to rebuild and bring an additional 21 families home.

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“Please don’t stop what you started. You are the only ones that stepped up and truly helped us. … There are still a lot of families that want to come home.” GULF COAST HOMEOWNER

respected by all. Despite more projects and vol-unteers than ever before, MDS was reported to have quality work, hardworking and dedicated volunteers, and a transforming presence in each community they served. One homeowner expressed gratitude, saying, “God had moved the hearts of people to respond both in dollars and in coming down to work. Our house is a gift from God.”

“God has taught me that the relationships we build are very important. It’s amazing what joy a fresh coat of paint or a new roof can bring to a person.”DISASTER STUDY PARTICIPANT

DISASTER STUDY PROGRAMS

2010 graduates 7 Canadian Mennonite University students 4 Hesston students 13

“I like serving, learning new skills, helping people and using my gifts.” MDS YOUTH VOLUNTEER

“It broadens your perpective and gives you an entirely different view of people and the world.”DISASTER STUDY PARTICIPANT

THE NEXT GENERATION

“�e greatest thing was seeing all these young guys from Alberta who were so excited to be volunteering and who were also just excited to be in the area and be part of the project,” says Evelyn Peter-Rojas who helped organize the summer youth project in Canada. �is year 90 youth built a multipurpose building for Rock Solid Refuge, an at-risk rehabilitation com-munity near Swift Current, Saskatchewan. In the U.S., 55 youth volunteers travelled to Gary, Indiana, to repair houses in low income com-munities damaged by Hurricane Ike.

�is year nine Disaster Study Program students from Canadian Mennonite University and Hesston College helped repair homes in Weir, Mississippi, after a tornado in April severely damaged the small town. “Coming to Weir and seeing what a tornado can actually do is aston-ishing,” remarked student David Hochstetler. Disaster study participants learn how to man-age disaster response and recovery. Part of their study includes hands-on internships on MDS project sites.

Gary, Indiana

Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Disaster study participant Leah Rittenhouse helps repair a home in Weir, Mississippi.

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Lyles

Lititz

Weir

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SASKATCHEWAN

CALIFORNIA

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

MISSISSIPPI

TENNESSEE

INDIANA

LOUISIANATEXAS

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BINATIONAL PROJECTS RV PROGRAM SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP HOME PROGRAMEARLY RESPONSE TEAMS

CLEAN MINOR MAJOR HOUSESPROJECT DISASTER / REASON VOLUNTEERS UPS REPAIRS REPAIRS REBUILTAMERICAN SAMOA

tsunami (2009) 37 1 8 2CALIFORNIADulzura wildfires (2007) 140 3Pauma Valley (RV) wildfires (2007) 12 1Ramona wildfires (2007) 205 2INDIANAGary (youth) Hurricane Ike flooding (2008) 55 12 LOUISIANACameron Hurricane Rita (2005), Ike (2008) 254 1 3Cameron (RV) Hurricane Rita (2005), Ike (2008) 8 worked on repairs with traditional Cameron project Diamond Hurricane Katrina (2005) 260 7 1 1New Iberia Hurricane Rita (2005) 292 14 1New Iberia (RV) Hurricane Rita (2005) 30 4 8New Orleans Hurricane Katrina (2005) 491 1 7 1MISSISSIPPIGulfport (Storm Aid) Hurricane Katrina (2005) 46 framing for 5 houses startedPass Christian Hurricane Katrina (2005) 230 7 2 2Ocean Springs (RV) Hurricane Katrina (2005) 10 4 PENNSYLVANIALititz MDS binational headquarters 155 1SASKATCHEWANSwift Current (youth) rehabilitation facility 90 1 TENNESSEELyles flooding (2010) 32 13 5 TEXASCheek (RV) Hurricane Ike (2008) 15 1 3Marble Falls (RV) flooding (2007) 29 main building for camp started

2010 MDS PROJECTSLARGE-SCALE BINATIONAL

Lyles, Tennessee

American Samoa

IV

WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS CAME FROM BY REGION

IV77 III

230

V722

II441

I921

IV

“The homes we repaired were flood damaged. … By the end of the week all of the repairs had been skillfully accomplished by our crew.”GLENN BUCK, MDS VOLUNTEER NEWFOUNDLAND

LOCAL MDS RESPONSES 2010A sampling of regional and local MDS activity.

REGION I

Early Response Teams mucked and cleaned out about 90 flooded basements in Rhode Island.

Replaced a church roof in New York.

Helped rebuild a barn destroyed by fire in Pa.

REGION II

Responded to a tornado in Streeter, Illinois.

Moved 320,000 lbs of carrots and a semi-load of watermelons to food pantries in Ohio.

Responded to flooding in Liberty, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee.

REGION III

Started a Search and Rescue Team and conducted five searches for missing people in Arkansas.

Cleaned up after tornados in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, and Belmont, Kansas.

Completed some 33 major repairs and rebuilt a home in Cedar Rapids and Oakville, Iowa, from 2008 flooding.

REGION IV

Two Partnership Home Program houses built.

Responded to tornado in Aumsville, Oregon, replacing several roofs.

REGION V

Cleaned up and repaired homes in Bonavista, Newfoundland, following Hurricane Igor.

Cleaned up homes after coastal flooding in British Columbia (Cowichan Valley, Bella Coola) and local flooding in Alberta (Medicine Hat, Irvine, Hillspring), Manitoba (Emerson) and Saskatchewan (Maple Creek, Yorkton, Regina).

Repaired a home damaged by fire in Smokey Lake, Alberta, and another in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“A day after it stopped raining my whole yard was a pond and as the water was sinking into the ground it was rising in my basement. … I’m doing better now. (MDS) came in and helped.”JANET ALEXANDER, RHODE ISLAND

“Feels good to do something like this. It’s work that needs to be done. Kinda dirty work, but we’re having fun.”GLENN WEILER, MDS EARLY RESPONSE TEAM RHODE ISLAND

Homeowners Janet and Clayton Alexander

MDS volunteer Peter Bunnett in Newfoundland

MDS volunteer James Horning cleans out a flooded basement in Rhode Island.

PARTNERSHIP HOME PROGRAM

Houses completed in 2010: 5

Sponsoring group Homeowner

Maple Grove Mennonite Church Hartville, Ohio ......................................Cameron, La.

First Mennonite Church Newton, Kan. .......................................Franklin, La.

Garden Spot Village/Petra Christian Fellowship New Holland, Pa. .................................New Iberia, La.

San Joaquin Valley Churches Reedley, Calif. ......................................Dulzura, Calif.

Portland Mennonite Church Portland, Ore. ......................................Escondido, Calif.

MDS connects church groups with families who have lost their home to disaster. The group provides materials, funds and volunteer labor to build a house.

SUPPORTING MDS IN 2010

Canada donors 1,354 U.S. donors 3,785 Average Canada donation $553 Average U.S. donation $926

P

Houses

Sponsoring gr

MapleHartville,

FirstNewton,

“It’s hard to stop baking. I’ve been doing this for many years and people look forward to stopping by. Baking for charity brings me joy.” MARTHA DEITRICH, BELLEFONTE, PA

SHOWING THEIR LOVE

Across Canada and the United States, old and young alike find ways to support MDS. Baking enthusiast Martha Deitrich, 78, of Bellefonte, Pa., sells her sticky rolls and apple dumplings to friends, neighbors and strangers, donating all her profits to MDS and other local charities. Churches in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia host dessert nights, gathering to enjoy music, eat pie, hear MDS stories and raise money. Bicyclist Neal Friesen, 27, of Henderson, Neb., took an epic journey zigzagging through 48 states, riding 10,019 miles in 173 days and raising $7,136 for MDS. “I wanted to take this opportunity to make an impact while doing something I love,” he says.

“In all likelihood, our life paths will never cross with Betty and her family again, but we know all of our lives have been impacted by this experience.”PARTNERSHIP HOME PROGRAM PARTICIPANT

Neal Friesen

Dessert night

Martha Deitrich’s sticky rolls for saleNewton, Kansas

New Holland, Pa.

Franklin, Louisiana

Cameron, Louisiana

2010 2009 2010 2009

Beginning net assets 1,001,000 $1,129,000 6,705,000 $7,653,000

REVENUE 939,000 956,000 3,596,000 2,714,000Contributions and grants 786,000 830,000 2,243,000 2,111,000Capital campaign 91,000 85,000 1,263,000 487,000Other revenue 62,000 41,000 90,000 116,000

EXPENDITURES 1,063,000 1,084,000 3,091,000 3,662,000Program/Project 818,000 872,000 2,052,000 2,665,000Supporting activities 227,000 188,000 868,000 717,000Fundraising 18,000 24,000 171,000 280,000

Ending net assets $877,000 $1,001,000 $7,210,000 $6,705,000

2010 FINANCIAL ACTIVITYCANADA (CDN. DOLLARS)

UNITED STATES (U.S. DOLLARS)

American Samoa tsunami $47,000 California wildfires $180,000 Gulf Coast hurricanes $757,000 Other binational projects $18,000 General project expenses $807,000 Partnership Home Program $68,000 Program leadership $175,000 Supporting activities $868,000 Fundraising $171,000

California wildfires $96,000 Gulf Coast hurricanes $265,000 Other binational & regional projects $1,000 Saskatchewan summer youth $17,000 Alberta responses $9,000 British Columbia responses $8,000 Manitoba responses $9,000 Newfoundland responses $6,000 Other Region 5 unit projects $1,000 General project expenses $307,000 Program leadership $8,000 Capital Campaign forward $91,000 Supporting activities $227,000 Fundraising $18,000

BINATIONAL STAFF

Rebecca Enns Receptionist/Admin. Asst.Heather Good Receptionist/Admin. Asst.Jerry Grosh Director of Field OperationsRon Guenther Director of Finance and Admin.Glenda Hollinger Bookkeeper/Admin. Asst.Nathan Hoover Project Logistics CoordinatorCathie Kearsley Director of Human ResourcesLorraine Kehler-Plett Bookkeeper/Admin. Asst.Kevin King Executive DirectorJerry Klassen Disaster Response CoordinatorDoreen Klassen Disaster Response CoordinatorArleta Martin Executive AssistantLois Nickel Dir. of Programs & Region RelationEvelyn Peters-Rojas Human Resources CoordinatorBrian Pipkin Communications CoordinatorGinny Sauder Database /Admin. Asst.Scott Sundberg Director of CommunicationsBarb Weaver Communications AssistantSarah Yoder Coordinator of Volunteers

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ron EnnsAbe EnsGordon FriesenLeonard KennelAlvin KroekerMary LitwillerBill McCoyRoss Miller Paul UnruhAnne WiensAlfred YoderRay Zimmerman

BOARD OF DELEGATES

Edward BuhlerRon BylerJose Elizondo Freeman HershbergerWillis HochstetlerDavid HooverWilmer HooverJorge JaramilloBetty KasdorfKaren MartinBill MastCatrina Miiller Terry MillerCarlos SantiagoVernon SchmuckerAlbert SchrockWayne Schrock Amos SchwartzGregory StarrSanford Swartzendruber

“Here we are home again trying to make it. And here you guys are helping us out which we appreciate.”THE MIDGET FAMILY, NEW IBERIA, LA.

2010 UNITED STATES EXPENDITURES Program and supporting activities (U.S. DOLLARS)

2010 CANADA EXPENDITURES Program and supporting activities (CDN. DOLLARS)

Cover photo: An MDS early Response team from Wolcott, New york, helped clean up flooded homes in Rhode Island in April. Annual report edited and designed by Julie kauffman. Photographs by Paul Hunt, Julie kauffman, Brian Pipkin, MDS volunteers.

Binational office583AirportRoad,Lititz,PA17543USA717-735-3536mdsus@mds.mennonite.net

MennoniteDisasterService

extension office6A-1325MarkhamRd,Winnipeg,MBR3T4J6CANADA866-261-1274mdscn@mds.mennonite.net

“We believe that life is service, that we’re here on earth to serve god.” Wes and ashley reiMer

Wes and Ashley Reimer of Plum Coulee, Manitoba, dedicated a year of service to MDS, working at projects from California to Saskatchewan to Louisiana. Ashley’s advice to potential long-term volunteers: “Don’t wait and say you’ll do it when you retire. Start when you’re young. It’s one of the best things you’ll ever do. And I’m just so thankful that we have learned that when we’re this age. And that we can continue on.”

mds.mennonite.net