Children's Disaster Services

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago, when the news of the events of September 11, 2001 reached the office at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., the leadership of Children’s Disaster Services (then called Disaster Child Care) immediately understood that their volunteers would be needed to care for the children whose families were touched by the unprecedented event.

Just three days later, on the morning of September 14, an 11-member team of Child Care in Aviation Incident Response (CAIR, now called the Critical Response Childcare) volunteers traveled from Maryland to New York City in response to the terrorist attack. Over two months, these volunteers, along with 85 other Children's Disaster Services (CDS) volunteers, put in 11,246 volunteer hours to serve 2,094 children whose families were affected by that terrible disaster.

Today, we remember those who were lost, those whose lives were forever changed, and the first responders who put themselves in harm's way to bring others to safety. We also honor those CDS volunteers who spent time away from their own families to care for other people's children.

We want to invite CDS volunteers who were on the response to the 9/11 attack to share your memories and photos. Your time meant so much to those families and children who lost loved ones.

07/17/2026

07/08/2026

CDS would like to offer our gratitude to Child Life Disaster Relief (CLDR) and the town of Kerrville, Texas for inviting us to participate in the Faith and Fellowship Concert on July 3. Kathleen Fahrner and Katherine Marshall (pictured below) worked with CLDR volunteers to provide meaningful, child-led activities for approximately 200 children.

06/09/2026

Adam Lane has joined CDS as the new Program Assistant. An active member of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren in Hagerstown, MD, Adam is also a recent graduate of Bethany Theological Seminary, where he earned his Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation. He brings with him a background in Graphic and Web Design, Video Editing, Writing, and Social Media Management. Adam looks forward to the journey ahead and the opportunity to serve those whose lives have been upended by disaster.
Brethren Disaster Ministries and CDS are pleased to have Adam as part of the Team!!

05/22/2026

If you are going to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, don't forget to PRE-REGISTER for the free BDM/CDS Volunteer & Supporter Breakfast on Monday, June 29 at 7:00 am. It will be a great time to catch up with those you may have served with, meet new people in the BDM/CDS family, and hear updates on our ministry.

PRE-REGISTER BY JUNE 1 TO SAVE YOUR PLACE!

There is no guarantee that spaces will be open during the conference due to our need to order meals ahead of time.

Contact [email protected] or 800-451-4407 to sign-up.

04/29/2026

Children's Disaster Services, along with Child Life Disaster Relief, is pleased to present a workshop, The Power of Play, at the 2026 NVOAD Conference. The workshop will focus on the tools used in response, as well as the purpose of these child-led activities, to help children center themselves after experiencing disasters.

Child Life Disaster Relief directly supports children and families in disasters by integrating child life professionals’ services into impacted communities for positive coping and resilience.
Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in supporting children and their families during traumatic experiences. With a strong background in child development, trauma-informed care, and family systems, child life specialists promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities.

Children's Disaster Services provides a safe, calm space for children following natural or human-caused disasters, with certified, trauma-informed volunteer staff in shelters and assistance centers, utilizing a Kit of Comfort—a specialized suitcase of activities designed to encourage healing through child-led play.

If you are someone who will be at the NVOAD conference, Children's Disaster Services will have information at the Save the Children exhibitor table, whose commitment to children in emergencies helps expand the reach and impact of child-centered response efforts

We are grateful for all the child-oriented organizations who seek to help children.

04/08/2026

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/06bbb652ab.html
Hey CDS Fans, CHECK IT OUT!!
Here is a link to the children's magazine put out by On Earth Peace (OEP). This edition is about grief, and there is an article by our own John Kinsel. Some of you may have been trained by him, been on a response with him, or even been counseled by him on Critical responses. CDS volunteers, making the world a better place.
OEP, Envisioning a world in Beloved Community with the power of nonviolence in action

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