How a Network of Partners Helped Maggie Diaz Rebuild After Berks County Flooding On July 9, 2023, severe storms dropped more than five inches of rain on Berks County in just a few hours, and flash floods damaged houses, businesses, and schools. Unlike other storms that received national attention, the flood was not declared an [...]

One Man’s Journey to Recover after Hurricane Ida In early September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida tore through eastern Pennsylvania with devastating force. Over the course of six hours, five to ten inches of rain fell across the region and caused severe, widespread flooding. Philadelphia and its surrounding communities were among the hardest hit. [...]

On Oct 16, 2025, the Antietam Valley Long Term Recovery Group deemed its mission met. Lutheran Congregational Services, Advent Lutheran Church – West Lawn, Trinity Lutheran – Wernersville, Reformation Lutheran – Exeter, St. John’s Lutheran – Sumneytown, St. Marks Lutheran – Pennsburg, and many other churches helped make this recovery a success by way of […]

On July 9, 2023, severe storms unleashed more than five inches of rain in Berks County in just a few hours, leading to flash flooding and widespread damage to homes, businesses, and schools. Lutheran Disaster Response ‒ Eastern Pennsylvania (LDR–EPa) has been at the forefront of recovery efforts ever since. A mission of compassion, faith, […]

From March through mid-April, AmeriCorps volunteers are joining with Lutheran Disaster Response to help on critical projects in Berks, Philadelphia, and Delaware Counties. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that addresses community challenges through volunteering and strives to make service a cornerstone of our national culture. Team members work in areas such as environmental stewardship, affordable […]

Why Cash is Best When disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton strike, it’s natural to want to help immediately. Communities face immense challenges—homes are lost, infrastructure is damaged, and daily necessities become difficult to access. In the midst of this chaos, it’s easy to assume that sending physical donations like food, clothing, or supplies is [...]

As we move further into the Atlantic Hurricane Season, local families are facing the threats of more flooding and storm damage. They need your support. As Pennsylvania continues to become hotter and wetter, concerns about flooding are rising as residents in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties are still dealing with destruction from tornedos [...]

Half a Century In and Excited for What Lies Ahead In the coming year, we look forward to looking back on those 50 years. We will dig into the roots of Lutheran Chaplaincy Services of Lehigh Valley (1973), later renamed Lutheran Services of Lehigh Valley (1976). We’ll explore the ELCA’s founding of Lutheran Disaster Response [...]

Wandering Through the Wilderness As a disaster case manager, Paulette Obrecht sees her most important role as wandering through the wilderness with survivors. She explains. “You show them that someone cares about what happened, and that allows them to move beyond despair towards hope. “To do the job, you must listen; then, you listen some [...]

Journeys Through Grief – From Ann’s Perspective Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one. People often experience it with any significant loss – a home, job, one’s health, a relationship, or separation. Ann knows grief in many forms, starting with the death of her younger brother when she was a child. [...]

This story appears in the Spring 2024 issue of At Liberty. Loving hearts, generous souls, and a commitment to helping others filled the United Lutheran Seminary’s Mt. Airy campus this past Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Linda Breckenridge and Volunteers Assemble Hygiene Kits “I’m always looking for opportunities on MLK Day of Service to [...]

Pennsylvania is getting hotter and wetter. The second half of 2023 was dominated by storms and flooding rains that left more than 500 eastern Pennsylvania families in need of help. With your assistance, we are helping people connect with resources, but there is much more work to be done. Families affected by flooding from storms [...]