MHSA Archival Description Record
Title and Physical Description
Mennonite Disaster Service fonds. -- 1959-1968. -- 3 cm of textual records
Biographical 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 Serviceis 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 Mennonite Church Alberta and then donated to the MHSA in July 2002.
Scope & Content
The fonds consist of formal records of the Mennonite Disaster Service..
Source of Supplied Title
Title based on the contents of the fonds
Source of Acquisition
Gift by widow of John H. Janzen
Arrangement
According to date
Access Restrictions
None known
Finding Aids
See Files Inventory
Associated Materials
See Mennonite Disaster Service website.
Related Materials
For records related to the Mennonite Disaster Service fonds, see Mennonite Central Committee collection at Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, Series IX.
Accruals
Expected
Notes
Accession 2002.009
Last updated 17 Jan 2008 - Judith Rempel
Filess Inventory
Box 1
1 - 1 Mennonite Disaster Service Reports, Correspondence, News Releases,
Constitution and Address Lists - 1959-1968
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