You are invited to Lutheran Disaster Response leadership training camp in Crisfield, Maryland, on September 4-6, 2024.

At this training, participants will join a small group of folks to dive deep into what long term recovery is and why we engage in it, from both spiritual and practical perspectives. As Lutherans, our baptismal promises call us to serve all people. Disaster sites are places we are called to be as we seek to come alongside our neighbors facing harm and destruction. Lutheran Disaster Response, one of only a few organizations doing this work, is working to build their capacity to help meet needs as our communities face new challenges, from tornado activity to flash flooding to poor air quality from fires hundreds of miles away.

With the training camp, Lutheran Disaster Response hopes to provide training so that people can step up in a meaningful way with the knowledge and skills that are required for successful community recovery from disasters.

They are looking to build a cadre of folks with skills to lead, support, and guide community disaster response to support the most vulnerable in our communities.

Camp will be a two-day training from which participants will leave having a deeper understanding of the elements of disaster recovery through a mix of real-life lived experience and didactic training.

It will be held at Camp Kairos, a traditional volunteer camp of the Eastern Shore Long Term Recovery Committee. All camp expenses are being covered, except travel to the event and hotel accommodations, should you wish to stay at a local hotel instead of Camp Kairos.

Sponsorships are available to those who may need financial assistance in order to attend the event.

Anyone interested in taking part in the training camp can contact Julia Frank.

Lutheran Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has long built networks to meet long-term disaster-related needs related to rebuilding homes, helping with rental assistance, and helping survivors navigate months and years of working through recovery, including in our communities in Pennsylvania and beyond.

You can learn more about Lutheran Disaster Response here and find resources here.