Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) Critical Response Childcare team provides a calm presence for the children of victims or children of families of the victims at the Family Assistance Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
January 14, 2025
By: Ronda Thompson, volunteer writer
In the chaos of disasters, the emotional well-being of children often takes a backseat to urgent needs like food, shelter, and safety. Yet, behind the scenes, a team of compassionate heroes works quietly to bring hope and healing to young hearts. Since 1980, Children’s Disaster Services (CDS)—a program of the Church of the Brethren—has been a lifeline for children, offering a safe haven when the world feels anything but secure.
Following the devastating Bourbon Street Attack in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Years Day, the American Red Cross supported the Federal Bureau of Investigation in opening a Family Assistance Center (FAC) to provide care and resources to the impacted families. In these moments of distress, volunteers from Children's Disaster Services joined forces to provide a calming space for children at the FAC.
Partnering closely with the American Red Cross, CDS sets up specialized child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers across the country. This partnership is seamless, with CDS volunteers often donning Red Cross badges as they step into the field. Together, they ensure that children’s unique needs are met with expertise, kindness, and love.
At the heart of CDS’s work are their comforting, imaginative spaces designed specifically for children. These centers are equipped with “Kits of Comfort,” which include toys and art supplies carefully chosen to encourage creative play—a key tool in helping children process trauma. The absence of pre-designed coloring books and logoed toys allows kids to freely express their emotions through blank paper and open-ended materials, letting child directed play and healing flow naturally.
During the Santa Rosa fires, one facility with glass walls became a window to transformation. A shy little girl, left in the care of CDS volunteers, caught her father’s watchful eye as he lingered outside, hesitant to leave. To his astonishment, he saw his daughter slowly warm up, playing with other children and rediscovering her smile. By the time he returned to pick her up, her transformation had left him in tears, deeply grateful for the care and compassion that CDS volunteers provided.
In Joplin, Missouri, a young girl traumatized by a tornado arrived at a CDS center completely withdrawn, unable to play or connect. Kathy Howell, a seasoned project manager and gentle soul, introduced her to a 3D tic-tac-toe game. Round after round, the girl took time to reflect and quietly asked to play “again.” Each game nudged her closer to healing. By the end of the day, she began engaging with other children. Seeing her daughter’s demonstrated resilience, her mother’s tearful words to Kathy captured the power of the moment: “She’s going to be okay.”
The lifeblood of CDS is its dedicated volunteers—individuals who bring years of experience in child care, education, and psychology to the table. These volunteers undergo 24 hours of rigorous training, which includes spending a night on Red Cross cots to understand firsthand the challenges disaster victims and responders face. This unique preparation ensures volunteers are equipped not only with skills but also with the empathy children instinctively recognize and trust.
The partnership between the Church of the Brethren and the American Red Cross has been vital to CDS’s mission. Since 1997, the Critical Response Childcare (CRC) team—a specialized branch of CDS—has responded to mass casualty events like the September 11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing. These teams step into unimaginable situations to provide stability and hope to children caught in the crossfire of tragedy.
If your heart aches for the smallest victims of disaster, CDS offers a meaningful way to make a difference. Their training programs welcome individuals who want to become part of this compassionate mission. Whether you're a seasoned caregiver or simply someone with a passion for helping, volunteering with CDS lets you offer children a chance to heal and find hope in the aftermath of chaos.
By joining this network of care, you can be the light that helps a child smile again—a simple yet powerful act that can change a life forever.
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