Mennonite Disaster Service

Families from Kansas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Idaho, Washington, and Illinois gathered in Hesston, Kansas last week for the MDS Family Program, ready to serve.

Throughout the week, volunteers built cabinets, renovated a college apartment, sorted donated items for a community yard sale, and assembled 156 hygiene kits and 72 sewing kits for MCC. A local ice cream truck, Clay’s Cones, even stopped by on Monday to thank the group "because of what MDS is doing here."

The week also included a hayride to a local farm, where volunteers learned about the Kansas roots of MDS and the Sunday School picnic that is widely considered the organization's founding moment.

Families left encouraged by the experience. One family even shared that their children came home and created a full disaster relief simulation with their stuffed animals, complete with volunteers, relief centers, and homes under construction (last photo).

Learn more about the MDS Family Program at mds.org/family-program/

The Spencer, Iowa Summer Youth Program opened its first week with volunteers from Idaho, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alaska, Minnesota, and Germany . Crews who came ready to work and left with something more than they expected.

Teams broke ground on a new home build, raised walls, and worked across several repair sites while one of the week's most meaningful moments happened around the dinner table. A homeowner shared her story of watching floodwater fill her basement in minutes, the flooded roads that kept family from reaching her, and the long two years since. Now MDS volunteers are finishing new drywall in those same basement bedrooms and getting the space ready for her to use again.

Evenings brought guitars, banjo, accordion, and a lot of laughter. Spencer summer youth program is just getting started!

Read the full weekly report here: https://mds.org/weekly_report/spencer-ia-syp-june-7-13-2026/

MDS in the news!

Nearly two years after historic flooding devastated Clay County, MDS volunteers are building a brand-new home for a family in Spencer, IA.

Read the full story from KTIV:

https://www.ktiv.com/2026/06/11/mennonite-volunteers-rebuild-home-spencer-family-nearly-two-years-after-historic-flooding/

Mennonite volunteers rebuild home for Spencer family nearly two years after historic flooding Faith-based disaster relief organization constructs new house for woman whose property was destroyed