Bridging the Gap
Disaster Response in West Virginia
UPDATE: June 2016 severe flooding in West Virginia has required that some attention be temporarily diverted from the bridge replacement project, but we have learned that all of the new bridges built through this project were intact after the recent storms and floods! Listen to a report on NPR about the technology used by our Mennonite friends to create these flood-resistant new bridges.
2015 Spring storms wiped out more than 300 private bridges across southern West Virginia, leaving hundreds of families without safe access to their homes. In order to go to work, send their children to school and continue to live their lives, these families put themselves in danger crossing unsafe structures because they don’t have the resources to rebuild. You can see some of these bridges in the video below.
The Ohio and West Virginia Disaster Response Ministry is a member of West Virginia VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). VOAD member organizations have organized a program to repair/replace these bridges. Volunteers will be needed to complete the work, but first, funds must be raised to finance the work. Your church or organization can Adopt-a-Bridge.
• With a tax-deductible donation of $16,000 you can sponsor an entire bridge.
• With a tax-deductible donation of $1,000 or more you can co-sponsor a bridge.
• All donations large or small will help resiliently bridge the gap in West Virginia.
Learn more about Adopting a Bridge
15 bridges have been funded and completed! See photos of the very first one.
Learn more about the bridge project and the other work being done by West Virginia VOAD.
Questions? Contact Ohio Conference Disaster Response Ministry Coordinator, Jim Ditzler at jditzler26@gmail.com or 330-262-3242.