Maryland Business Emergency Operation Center Webpage Launched

MDEM launches a new Maryland Business Emergency Operation Center (MBEOC) webpage.

The Maryland Business Emergency Operations Center (MBEOC) is a private-public partnership platform and central coordination mechanism within the SEOC structure, developed for coordination and enhanced information sharing with trusted private sector, nonprofit and faith-based organizations before, during and after disasters.

The new MBEOC webpage provides a link to sign up for updates, contact information, archived briefs for reference, the situational awareness dashboard, reporting links, and general critical infrastructure and recovery information. The volunteering section lists MD VOAD as a resource. (Woot! Woot!)

Make sure to save the page for future reference and thank you for your partnership!

Baltimore-Washington & Peninsula-Delaware Conference Area (of the United Methodist Church)

Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conferences, local UMCOR Affiliates, are now one Episcopal area. Each Annual Conference is a member of Maryland VOAD. Each Annual Conference is currently organizing local congregations to make cleaning buckets, hygiene kits, or feminine kits that will be distributed through the Connection to support survivors in the impacted area. Training for Early Response teams was conducted on October 26th to support future deployment to assist with debris removal, tarping, and clean up. Baltimore-Washington Peninsula-Delaware

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Baptist Convention of MD/DE

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Buddhist Tzu Chi Mid-Atlantic Region

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Brethren Disaster Ministries – Children’s Disaster Services

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Disaster Aid USA

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HEART 9/11

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Information Technology Disaster Resource Center

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Mercy Chefs

Mercy Chefs provides chef-prepared, nutritious meals and clean water for victims, volunteers and first responders in natural disasters and emergencies across the country. The team is experienced in providing relief following hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, extreme winter weather and other emergencies.

Mercy Chefs are currently responding to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, serving across multiple states. See updates by clicking the links above.

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Operation BBQ Relief

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Adventist Community Services

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Lutheran Church – Southeastern District

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Team Rubicon

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HELP NEEDED: Clean-Up Buckets Needed

Church World Service (CWS) needs more Clean-Up Bucket Kits: CWS, a Maryland VOAD member, requests your help to gather clean-up buckets.

Zach Wolgemuth, the CWS Director of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, reported that as of this morning, the organization has authorized/shipped “3,296 Emergency Cleanup Buckets valued at $247,200 and 4,360 Hygiene Kits valued at $65,400 to partners in the impacted region. Additional requests for kits and blankets are coming in almost daily. Unfortunately, the Emergency Cleanup Bucket inventory is less than 1,000 buckets in inventory.”

Can you put together bucket kits that can be sent to help survivors? More information is at https://cwskits.org/assemble-kits.

Kits can be delivered in Maryland at:

Brethren Service Center Annex
601 Main St., PO Box 188
New Windsor, MD 21776

Monday-Friday 7:30 am – 12 pm and 1 pm – 4 pm

Contact: Glenna Thompson (410) 635-8797

Crisis Cleanup invites Maryland VOAD members and partners to recruit Phone Center Volunteers.

Crisis Cleanup (www.crisiscleanup.org) is a website tool and hotline used throughout the US. It connects disaster survivors who need property cleanup assistance with volunteers who can help. The hotline is staffed by volunteers like you who work from home as they have time.

Download the full description to share with those interested to serve.

Email Gina Newby at gina@crisiscleanup.org for more information.

Maryland VOAD Members, Partners & Friends,

I wanted to thank you for the support of Maryland VOAD. We have served the community well this year. Here is a short list of our accomplishments in 2024:

Tool Trailer -Your contributions have put us well underway toward meeting our goal of $40,000 to equip the trailer. We are approaching the half-way mark.

Following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse we supported the seafarers trapped on ships in the harbor and have assisted longshoreman and other dock workers who lost significant income following the event.

In Somerset and Dorchester Counties, this summer, with the support of Maryland VOAD, the Eastern Shore Long-Term Recovery Committee launched Phase 2 in our response to October 2021 Tidal Flooding, an ambitious effort to elevate and repair an additional 100 homes in the next few years. It is the first time, as far as we know, that a Long-Term Recovery response has integrated a significant mitigation component.

The committee created a “Blue Ribbon Mitigation Task Force” with a goal of raising $6.5 million for the project. Organizations serving on the task force include Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM), Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, FEMA Region 3, The Nature Conservancy, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, Institute for Sustainable Development, many national faith-based communities (LDR, MDS, BDM, UCC, Disciples), Somerset County Commissioners, Dorchester County Council and the City of Crisfield.

The 64 homes that were either elevated, or built new after Hurricane Sandy, did not see any damage or water intrusion during the 2021 tidal flood event. We know that if we build and elevate homes to this standard (the 100 year flood plain base elevation + 2 board feet) we can create resilient homes.

As climate change leads to more severe and frequent coastal flooding, MD VOAD is focused on helping communities build back better and become more resilient. In recognition of this effort, at its Annual Conference, National VOAD gave the Innovative Program of the Year Award to Maryland VOAD and the ESLTRC.

Phase 2 has the focused goals of:

1. Being good stewards of funding entrusted to the ESLTRC;
2. Preventing repetitive loss; and most importantly,
3. Significantly improving the quality of life for the survivor families.

Many thanks once again for all your support,

In Christ,
Pastor Phil

24 Hour Activation Hotline: 866-217-5777 | support@itdrc.org General Inquiries: 817-886-8550 | info@itdrc.org Region 3/Maryland Contact: Brandon Trask MD State Coordinator 503-729-9753 | btrask@itdrc.org

Maryland VOAD proudly announces membership of Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC), a nationwide, volunteer-driven, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that assists communities with technology continuity and recovery after catastrophic events. Specializing in providing emergency communications, surge technology assets, and a roster of qualified technical resources aimed to connect survivors and responders during disasters. A small sample of offerings include: Network Infrastructure and WiFi Connectivity Internet connectivity through VSAT, Broadband, and/or Cellular Call Centers Charging Stations LMR Radios and Repeaters Technical and Communications Support

National VOAD Innovative Program of the Year

National VOAD awards recognize organizational and individual excellence and contributions that reflect “the best of the best” in service and support within the entire VOAD movement.

The Innovation Award is given to one local, regional, state or territory VOAD or a VOAD member organization in good standing, nominated by their peers, for exceptional innovation or ingenuity through the development and implementation of a program or project that has: provided a long‐term solution to a specific community’s problem utilizing one of the core four C’s of National VOAD; or created a unique project or program that filled a gap or unmet need in a community in preparing for, responding to, and/or recovering from disasters that positively impacted the lives of victims and could be replicated as a model for other communities.

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The Innovative Program of the Year Award is award to an organization within National VOAD “for exceptional innovation or ingenuity through the development and implementation of a program or project that has provided a long‐term solution to a specific community’s problem.” The innovations sited for reception of this award include:

• Combining a mitigation component to the long-term recovery response—not just repairing homes but elevating them two feet above the 100-year flood plain anticipated levels.
• Forming a Blue Ribbon Mitigation Task Group of over 50 people from environmental groups, universities, state, county, municipal and federal agencies and National VOAD member groups to provide support and to assist in the raising the $6 million needed to complete the project.
• Using VOAD member volunteers to assist with the elevation of the homes. (Previously, the entire elevation process was contracted out.) Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is partnering with us by taking the lead in the construction process. In elevating the first two homes with volunteer labor, we have seen a cost savings of $35,000 for each home.
• Partnering with coastal universities to do a research project alongside of the elevation project to demonstrate its worth to other coastal communities, allow them to understand the components for doing such a project and offering this as an alternative to other strategies used within coastal communities.

In his remarks while receiving the award, Pastor Phil said, “With the increased number and intensity of storms, and the proclivity for significant levels of tidal flooding in the communities of Somerset and Dorchester counties, it was imperative that ESLTRC, with the support of Maryland VOAD, draw different conclusions, and chose a different path forward in the long-term recovery process.”

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