Mennonite Disaster Service

09/01/2026

Three young volunteers are about to give a year of their lives to disaster recovery.

Brandon Martin, Miles Rissler, and Brenna Eastman are heading out with MDS to build homes, lead teams, and grow their faith along the way. Each came to this decision differently, through a family suggestion, a youth group trip, a search for purpose, but they landed in the same place: ready to serve.

Their first stops are Crisfield, Md., and then Hawaii, with more to come over the next twelve months.

Read their full story at mds.org/story/young-volunteers-ready-to-dedicate-a-year-to-mds/

08/27/2026

This week marks 21 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast.
Every hurricane season is a reminder of how much a plan matters before the storm arrives.

That's what National Preparedness Month is about. Know your evacuation route. Know where you'll go. Know what's in your emergency kit before you need it.
Ready.gov has resources to help you build that plan this September.

Visit the link to get prepared: www.ready.gov/plan

08/25/2026

Let's shine a spotlight on last week at the Spencer, Iowa summer youth program.

We hosted twelve volunteers from Ohio this week. These young ladies brought a lot of joy, music, and effort with them.

Work included framing new walls; installing, mudding, sanding, and painting sheetrock; installing casements, doors, and trim; and building a fence at a newly completed home. The efforts of this week's volunteers led to the completion of two additional projects, bringing the total number of repair jobs in Spencer to 24, with two jobs remaining open.

Here is a message from the project leadership: "It is not premature to thank the Grace United Methodist Church for hosting us, Clay County Long Term Recovery for providing materials and excellent organization, and our homeowners who worked with and around our schedules."

Praise be to God for allowing our volunteers to step into this work and bring people back home.

08/24/2026

The Summer '26 issue of Behind the Hammer is now available!

Behind the Hammer is published quarterly by Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and is available for free upon request. This magazine shares the stories of MDS work in the U.S. and Canada and of more than 6,000 annual volunteers who are the core of MDS. The stories are meant to encourage people to continue expressing the love of God through the work of MDS. Printed on Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) certified paper using environmentally friendly plant-based inks.

STAY CONNECTED:
If you have story ideas, need subscription information, want to donate or volunteer,
please contact us:
MDS U.S. Office
583 Airport Road, Lititz, PA 17543 USA
tel: 717-735-3536 | toll-free: 800-241-8111
fax: 717-735-0809
[email protected]

MDS Canada Office
200-600 Shaftesbury Blvd.
Winnipeg, MB R3P 2J1 Canada
tel: 204-261-1274
toll-free within Canada: 866-261-1274
fax: 204-261-1279
[email protected]

Access the online flipping book here:

This interactive flipbook is created with FlippingBook, a service for streaming PDFs online. No download, no waiting. Open and start reading right away!

08/22/2026

“Skill at performing tasks is secondary to the Christian values of humbly serving as the hands and feet of Jesus.”

This is what project director Rex Graham had to say when asked about how “Golden hammer” award recipients were chosen each day as project director at this year’s West Asheville, North Carolina summer youth program.

A willingness to learn, an eagerness to cheerfully perform any task, and a spirit of collaboration. By the end of the week, that spirit of camaraderie is what volunteers often remember most.

Read the full story on mds.org HERE: https://mds.org/story/golden-hammer-awards-bring-even-more-fun-to-mds-job-sites/

08/20/2026

Let's look back at the last 5 weeks for MDS in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan.

Volunteers from every corner of the country, Ontario to BC and everywhere between, poured into four homes still recovering from last year's Wolf Fire: drywall went up, mud coats went on, siding wrapped gable ends, and kitchen cabinets found their place.

Between shifts, volunteers were able to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, wildflowers along the trailer doors, limestone crevices to explore, and a lake that turned evenings into gifts of rest and laughter.

But the project has held quieter moments too, one family's story of loss became a turning point, and their visit to check on their home rebuild brought smiles to every volunteer on site.

Thank you to each and every volunteer who showed up to serve the community of Denare Beach!

Check out the Denare Beach project HERE: https://mds.org/response/denare-beach-sk/

08/17/2026

Today is National Nonprofit Day, and we want to celebrate the people who make MDS possible.

Volunteers who give their time to swing a hammer for a stranger. Community partners who open doors before we even ask, donors who trust us with their generosity, and all supporters who show up again and again in the name of Jesus.

None of it works without you. Every home rebuilt, every family that gets to sleep under their own roof again, every bit of hope restored, that's because ordinary people said yes to something bigger than themselves.

On behalf of us all at MDS, thank you!

08/13/2026

Did you know that MDS has volunteer opportunities Beyond the Project?!

Many people would like to volunteer but are unable to find a whole week where they are able to serve. This is what MDS beyond the project beyond is for.

Here are some more ways you can get involved with MDS Beyond the Project:

Setup & closing teams
Housewarmer project
Meal provider for trainings
Leadership training assistants and mentors
Vehicle and Equipment mover
MDS cabinet shop
Wearhouse assistance
Local unit and region leadership
Share your MDS story
Financial support

For more information on each of these beyond the project volunteer opportunities, follow this link: https://mds.org/beyond-the-project/

08/11/2026

Ivan and Carmell had nearly given up hope that life would feel normal again. Then MDS reached out to build them a new home.

"I couldn't believe it," Carmell said.

The couple, both members of Pimicikmak (Cross Lake) Cree Nation, lost their home in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan when the Wolf Fire tore through the remote town in 2025, destroying more than 200 structures.

They're still months from moving into their new home, but after a year in rented housing, they're already planning for one thing: getting the whole family back together under one roof.

"Christmas is at our place again this year!" Carmell said.

Read the full story here: https://mds.org/story/christmas-is-at-our-place-again-this-year/

08/06/2026

We have volunteer needs in Elk, Washington and Lahaina, Hawaii this September and October!

Lahaina: Volunteers skilled in framing are needed for the first 4 weeks of the project Sep 13th-Oct 10th

Elk: Volunteers skilled in framing are needed for the first 2 weeks of the project Oct 4th-17th

If you or someone you know may be interested in filling these volunteer needs, contact our volunteer coordinator at the link below --
https://mds.org/form-pages/contact-volunteer/

or view all of our volunteer opportunities here--
https://volunteer.mds.org/