Isaiah 58:12
Founding Verse & Mission Statement
"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."
Is. 58:12
Mission Statement
To prepare communities for disasters and meet the short and long-term needs of disaster victims
Isaiah 58:12 Disaster Relief & Preparedness
Isaiah 58:12 was birthed out of a shared passion to help others and be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in great need. After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, reports of massive destruction and loss flooded the news and many were compelled to do something to help. Some donated funds and many felt a call to head south and lend a hand. Fulton Sheen organized a group of volunteers from Southwest Michigan to help clear debris, clean out houses and remove mold, replace drywall and get people back into their homes. The need was so great that Fulton continued organizing trips down south to help, and he and other volunteers returned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area 16 times over the next two years.
After the first few trips, and continued efforts to raise funds to pay for supplies, Fulton and his core group of volunteers felt a call to formalize their efforts by establishing a non-profit disaster relief group, and so Isaiah 58:12 was born. Since Hurricane Katrina, Isaiah 58:12 has sent teams to assist in relief efforts in our local community and across the nation, including regions effected by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Ike, and severe flooding on the Crow Native American reservation in Montana. We partnered with the Austin Disaster Relief Network in Austin TX, assisting in helping over 3,400 families after Hurricane Harvey by providing food, clothing and personal items, as well as disaster counseling.
Shortly after its inception, Isaiah 58:12 expanded its focus to include disaster preparedness, and now trains individuals in disaster preparedness and response through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Course. The CERT training program is a collaborative development of FEMA, Citizen Corps, and Law Enforcement and Emergency Personnel across the nation, designed to teach citizens how to, not only be personally prepared for disasters, but also to assist their local community and emergency personnel when they are overwhelmed. In the wake of major disasters, emergency responders always have more on their plate than they can handle, hence the CERT training course was developed to help communities build up an army of certified volunteers, trained to safely respond alongside emergency personnel in disaster situations. Isaiah 58:12 has trained and certified over 1,600 volunteers from across the state of Michigan and the nation in the CERT program. Through Isaiah 58:12’s CERT training efforts and relationship building with local government agencies and emergency personnel, Isaiah 58:12 became the first non-government organization recognized by the state of Michigan as a Disaster Mobilization group.
While not actively responding to disasters, Isaiah 58:12 works to feed the hungry, prepare individuals and families for disasters and train additional volunteers in disaster response. We seek to provide assistance to those in the greatest need in our community, our nation and across the world, while also maintaining a supply of quality nutritious long-term bulk food for immediate use in disaster situations.
Whether it be war, terrorism, a pandemic, food shortage, economic disaster or any other man-made or natural disaster, it is crucial that we be prepared. Disasters of all types have been increasing in recent decades and we are called to be prepared so that we are not dependent on help from others but can be a help to others. Isaiah 58:12 strives to reach across boarders and unite all people through the love of Christ regardless of beliefs, colors or orientations. We strive to be physically, emotionally and spiritually prepared, in order to meet the physical, mental and emotional needs of others. What better way to minister the love of Jesus and live out the call to serve, than to help save lives and give aid to fellow human beings in the greatest need?