I am hearing from church leaders around the country that they are eager and ready to volunteer in Louisiana. I am so moved and grateful to see how willing The Episcopal Church is to serve in this way, and I want to be sure that our folks are helping in the most effective ways that support, rather than overwhelm, local efforts.

The bishops in the dioceses of Louisiana and Western Louisiana assure me that while there may be volunteer needs in the coming months, they are able to respond for the moment with their local members and friends: who can return to their own homes and don’t need to be housed or fed! It’s amazing to see neighbors helping neighbors, and when they tell us that out-of-state volunteers are not needed right now, we need to be sure to heed and respect that guidance.

We know that disaster recovery takes many weeks, months and years, and help will likely be needed down the road. Are you eager to volunteer in the response to the flooding in Louisiana and elsewhere? Would you like to receive information about upcoming mission trip opportunities? Please sign up at Ready to Serve; we will share lists of volunteers with impacted dioceses, who will then reach out as opportunities to serve become available.