{{Short description|Network for disaster relief in North America}} {{Infobox organization | name = Mennonite Disaster Service | formation = 1950 | logo = Mds-logo.png | founded = 1950 | founder = | location = [[Lititz, Pennsylvania]], [[United States|USA]] | origins = | key_people = Kevin King, Executive Director<ref>{{cite web|url=http://charityreports.bbb.org/public/report.aspx?charityid=2043|title=Charity Report - Mennonite Disaster Service - give.org|website=charityreports.bbb.org|accessdate=4 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mds.mennonite.net/about_us/staff/ |title=Staff &#124; Mennonite Disaster Service |accessdate=2009-05-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20080509135725/http://mds.mennonite.net/about_us/staff/ |archivedate=2008-05-09 }}</ref> | region_served = [[United States]], [[Canada]]{{Ref label|reference3|3}} | product = | focus = Disaster Relief | method = | revenue = $2,870,251 {{Ref label|reference1|1}} | endowment = | num_volunteers = 3,000+ | num_employees = 11 {{Ref label|reference1|1}} | num_members = | subsib = | owner = | website = https://mds.org | footnotes = }}

The '''Mennonite Disaster Service''' (MDS) is a volunteer network through which various groups within the [[Anabaptist]] tradition assist people affected by [[Natural disaster|disasters]] in [[North America]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mds.mennonite.net/|title=Home - Mennonite Disaster Service|website=Mennonite Disaster Service|accessdate=4 July 2018|archive-date=1 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070601115555/http://www.mds.mennonite.net/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The organization was founded in 1950 and was incorporated as a [[501(c)(3)]] non-profit organization in 1993.

The MDS currently involves more than 3,000 members of the [[Mennonite]], [[Amish]] and [[Brethren in Christ]] churches (BIC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mds.mennonite.net/about_us/history/ |title=History &#124; Mennonite Disaster Service |accessdate=2009-05-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20080509185153/http://mds.mennonite.net/about_us/history/ |archivedate=2008-05-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Kraybill| first = Donald| title = The Riddle of Amish Culture | publisher = [[Johns Hopkins University Press]]| year = 2001| isbn =0-8018-6772-X | pages =157–158}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Wittlinger| first = Carlton| title = Quest for Piety and Obedience: The Story of the Brethren in Christ| publisher = Evangel Press| year = 1978| isbn =0-916035-05-0|page=529}}</ref> The primary focus of the service is cleanup, repair, and the rebuilding of homes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kyham.net/downloads/library/training/mennonite.pdf |title=Mennonite Disaster Service |date= |accessdate=2018-07-04}}</ref> The work of the group supplements the [[disaster relief]] provided by the [[Red Cross]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M46656.html/?searchterm=mennonite%20disaster%20service |title=Mennonite Disaster Service — GAMEO |access-date=2009-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604010509/http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/M46656.html/?searchterm=mennonite%20disaster%20service |archive-date=2011-06-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>https://www.crossnet.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_300_,00.html{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Mennonite Disaster Service also works closely with [[Mennonite Central Committee]].{{Ref label|reference4|4}}

A quarterly newsletter called ''Behind the Hammer'' is published.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mds.mennonite.net/news/newsletter |title=Newsletter &#124; Mennonite Disaster Service |accessdate=2009-05-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120711201659/http://mds.mennonite.net/news/newsletter |archivedate=2012-07-11 }}</ref>

The volunteer [[amateur radio]] group Mennonet provides communication services for MDS.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hesston.edu/newsport/archives/fall2007/070920ham.htm|title=News Releases Archives - Hesston College|website=Hesston College|accessdate=4 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Detweiler| first = Lowell| title = The Hammer Rings Hope: Photos and Stories from Fifty Years of Mennonite Disaster Service | publisher = Herald Press| year = 2000| isbn =0-8361-9110-2| page =63}}</ref> [[transceiver|Radio]] equipment was first deployed by MDS in 1960.{{Ref label|reference4|4}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Detweiler, Lowell (2000) ''The Hammer Rings Hope: Photos and Stories from Fifty Years of Mennonite Disaster Service''. Scottdale PA: Herald Press. {{ISBN|0-8361-9110-2}} *Wiebe, Katie Funk (1976) ''Day of Disaster''. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press. {{ISBN|0-8361-1793-X}} *Wiebe, Vernon (1960) ''Handbook for Mennonite Disaster Service Volunteers''. Kansas: Mennonite Disaster Service. [[ASIN]] B0007G0VG0.

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090525165758/http://mdsmennonite.blip.tv/ MDS Sowing Seeds of Service] * [https://www.youtube.com/user/MDSMennonite MDS on Youtube]

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[[Category:Anabaptism]] [[Category:Mennonitism in Canada]] [[Category:Mennonitism in the United States]] [[Category:Peace churches]] [[Category:Emergency organizations]] [[Category:Religious service organizations]] [[Category:American organizations established in 1950]]