Disaster Relief USA

“I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me” Matthew 25:45

Mission Statement

The Mission of Disaster Relief USA (DRUSA), a ministry of the International Pentecostal Holin

ess Church, is to organize volunteer ministry teams to model the compassion of Jesus Christ by providing mass care to individuals and families devastated during times of disaster.

Mobile Feeding Kitchen

The “eight een-wheeler” Disaster Relief Mobile Feeding Kitchen and its other necessary equipment are housed in Lake City, South 

Carolina, at the ministry center of the South Carolina Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC). When a disaster occurs, DRUSA, the disaster relief agency of the IPHC, or the American Red Cross may activate the kitchen and its team of volunteers to assist in providing meals to thousands of individuals across the United States of America.

The kitchen is equipped with multiple stove units to facilitate the preparation of an abundance of food in a short amount of time. Several volunteer teams rotate their hours of service to ensure that around the clock attention can be given to this worthy endeavor. The kitchen is also used occasionally to serve meals for special community events. These opportunities raise awareness regarding the kitchen’s purpose and ministry. In the past, this exposure alone has prompted conversations that led to a soul being saved and/or a monetary gift being received.

Men’s Ministries is thankful for this means of sharing the compassion and outreach of Jesus Christ with our fellowmen.

Volunteers

DRUSA volunteers have given the International Pentecostal Holiness Church a visible presence in disaster relief and recovery for many years. For example, DRUSA teams responded to Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the Texas floods in 1994, Hurricane Fran in 1997, tornadoes in the Midwest in 1999, the terrorist attacks in September of 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Tri-States ice storms in 2009.

Training

Disaster Relief USA conducts annual training for conference coordinators, volunteers, and teams. Area training includes Red Cross certification, staffing for the Mobile Feeding Kitchen, and hands on training in specialty areas. The training goal is to “stay ready” in the event of a disaster and the need for deployment.