Mennonite
Historical
Society

of Alberta

Mennonite Disaster Service fonds

Accession 2002.009, 2005.044, 2011.014 and 2023.013, both filed with 2005.044

Title and Physical Description

Mennonite Disaster Service fonds. – 1959-2010. –  1.3 m of textual records

Biographical/Administrative History

The Mennonite Disaster Service formed from a local Mennonite Church in Hesston, Kansas in 1950 that became inter-Mennonite in 1951. It evolved to incorporate participation from Indiana and Ohio and other states. To aid coordination the Mennonite Central Committee created the Disaster Service Coordinating Committee on 15 May 1954. By 1956, it was composed of representatives from Mennonite Church, General Conference Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Conference, Conservative Mennonite Conference, Brethren in Christ and the Mennonite Central Committee and provided for Canadian representation as well. It met annually with representatives of the local or regional disaster organizations. Most of the local units also met annually. The program was decentralized, with local units springing into action as needed, and without centralized administration. Mennonite Disaster Service is an organized program to aid the victims of natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, storms, earthquakes, and fire by cleanup and reconstruction work, largely in damaged homes. This supplements Red Cross and government operations. Mennonite Disaster Service typically operates by assembling groups of people who at their own expense and with their own tools proceed to the disaster area and work at their own expense for a period of several days or weeks doing what they can to make damaged homes livable again.

Custodial History

The records were transferred by Mrs. John H. Janzen to the Conference of Mennonites in Alberta.

Scope & Content

The fonds consists of formal records of the Mennonite Disaster Service, including many files relating specifically to Region  V, Alberta.

Source of Acquisition

Gift by Conference of Mennonites in Alberta, 2002.

Finding Aids

See  “Files Inventory”

Notes

Accession 2002.009, 2005.044, 2011.014 filed with 2005.044
Last updated 16 Jan 2014 – Ted Regehr

Accession 2002.009

Box 1

1a  Mennonite Disaster Service Reports, Correspondence, News Releases, Constitution and Address Lists – 1959-1965

1b  Mennonite Disaster Service Reports, Correspondence, News Releases, Constitution and Address Lists – 1965-1968

2  MDS Minutes. 1964-1965

3  MDS Minutes and Correspondence, 1964-1965

4 MDS Minutes and Reports, 1964-1966

5 MDS Correspondence, Minutes and Reports, 1987-1988

6 MDS Correspondence, Minutes and Reports, 1987-1995

7 MDS Correspondence, Minutes and Reports, 1987-1995

Accession 2005.044 Box 1

8 Introduction – 1997-1999. Project Leaders

9 Region I Unit Officers

10 Region II Unit Officers

11 Region III 1997 Unit Officers

12 Region IV 1997 Unit Officers

13 Region V 1997 Unit Officers

14 Preparation, 1997

15 Investigation, 1997

16 Setting Up Programs, 1997

17 Administration, 1997

18 Long Term Projects, 1997

19 Binational, 1997

20 Appendix 1997

21 MDS Manual, 2002

22 MDS Network

23 “When Disaster Strikes,” 2002

24 “The Project”

25 MDS In the 21st Century, 2002

26 Appendices, 2002 MDS Service Manual

27 Forms 2002

28 Statement of Understanding MDS and American Red Cross, 1997-2001

29 Region I 2002, Unit Officers

30 Region II 2002, Unit Officers

31 Region III 2002, Unit Officers

32 Region IV 2002, Unit Officers

33 Region V 2002, Unit Officers

34 MDS Minutes, May 21-22, 2002, Winnipeg

35 MDS Minutes, Feb. 6, 2002, Phoenix, AZ

36 MDS Minutes, Special Board Meeting, Feb. 10, 2002, Winnipeg

37 MDS Minutes, Region V, Annual Meeting, 21 Oct. 2000, Edmonton

38 MDS Region V, Board Meeting, June 2, 2000, Hesston KS

39 MDS, Annual Meeting, Oct. 16, 1999, Winnipeg, MB

40 MDS Annual Meeting, Oct. 17, 1998, St. Catharines, Ontario

41 MDS Annual Meeting, Oct. 18, 1997, Abbotsford, B.C.

42 MDS Region V, Board Meeting, Oct. 26, 1996, Regina, SK

43 MDS Operation Agreement, Region V

44 MDS Long Term Application

45 MDS Region V, Transportation Assistance Policy

46 MDS Recommendation by the Task Force

47 MDS By Laws. No 1

Box 2

48 MDS Delegate Package, Annual Meeting, 2001

49 Workshop for Non Governmental Organizations, June 14, 2000

50 MDS Congregation Contact Package, Region V

51 MDS  Service Manual, 1999

52 MDS Congregation Contact Package, Region I

53 MDS Statement of Understanding, MDS and North American Red Cross

54 MDS Memorandum of Understanding, MDS and Federal Emergency Management Agency

55 MDS Statement of Understanding, MDS and the Salvation Army

56 MDS ADRA Meetings, 2001-2001, Non Governmental Organizations

57 Correspondence and Notes, 1998-2001

58 Correspondence, 2001-2002

59 Financial Reports, 1997-1998, Region V, Albert

60 Board Meeting, 1997, Unit V

61 Contact Persons

62 Reports

61 Contact Persons

62 Reports

63 Guidelines

64 Volunteer List

65 Dennis Grasse Memorial

66 MDS Alberta May

67 Alberta Project Firestorm

68 MDS Alberta

69 Firestorm, Dec. 997

70 MDS 50 year celebration

71 Behind the Hammer

72 Folder and Pamphlets

73 Houston Project, 2002

74 Firestorm Project, 1998

75 Archival Suggestions

76 Phone Numbers, Addresses of Church representatives

Box 3

77 Drought Response

78 Chisholm Fire

79 Short Term Assignment Service

80 Transportation Policy

81 Long Term Application

82 Potential Volunteers

83 Alberta Financial Report

84 NGO Disaster Response

85 Alberta 2001

86 Foundation

87 Region V Problem 2001

88 Cost and Service Information, 2001

89 Congregation Contacts

90 Kitchen Workshops, 2001

91 Pine Lake Clean Up, 2000

92 Articles of Constitution & Policy, 1988-2002

93 CPP and Board Member List, 1992-2008

94 MDS Alberta Projects, 1997-2010

95 Volunteer Application and Border Letters Correspondence, 1998-2001

96 Financial Correspondence, 1995-2007

97 NGO Meetings

98 Correspondence, 1989-2007

99 Region V Annual Meeting, 1998-2000

Accession 2023.013

100 Copy of Mennonite Disaster Service, Alberta, Unit minutes, or summaries of minutes, from 1975 to 2023, together with an electronic copy