Housing Disaster Victims

A church’s greatest opportunity to serve its community may come in the aftermath of a natural disaster when the church steps forward to provide food, shelter, and spiritual comfort. Although relief efforts may fit your ministry’s biblical mission, church leaders should evaluate several factors to help protect the church and the people they intend to help. Consider the following:

  • Determine your facility’s capacity limit, as determined by fire codes and local ordinances.
  • Limit the areas of your facility to which disaster victims will have access. Consider designating an outdoor smoking area.
  • Enlist members of your congregation to minister to your guests and monitor your building on a 24/7 basis.
  • Record the names of everyone you house. Ask guests for contact information, as well as the names of relatives to reach in an emergency.
  • Establish procedures for addressing and reporting unlawful activi­ties.
  • Determine how you will handle weapons and valu­ables that disaster victims bring to your shelter. You can place weapons and valuables in a safe or tightly secured room, but also weigh the risks inherent to storing such items.
  • Secure and/or monitor entrances at all times. Make sure that interior doors are in good repair and are unlocked in areas where disaster victims have access.
  • Determine how you will provide basic living necessities like food, showers, blankets, and personal hygiene products.
  • Establish a plan for dealing with higher volumes of trash, as well as more frequent maintenance and janitorial needs.
  • Encourage parents to be responsible for the safety of their children.
  • Prepare areas for children by installing safety devices on electrical outlets and providing safe, age-appropriate toys.
  • Ensure that volunteers are trained to identify potential sex offenders and victims of abuse. Contact local law enforcement immediately if you learn that a registered sex offender is housed in your facility or if an allegation of abuse arises.
  • Allow only screened individuals from your ministry to oversee activities involving children. This is especially important in settings where children are separated from their parents.

Your ministry should build a response plan before an impending disaster. Doing so will help your church provide a safe and secure shelter for disaster victims and at the same time, protect your church and those who worship with you.

November 28, 2023
New Team, Same Great Service
New Team, Same Great Service

Our agency has partnered with James Greene and Associates to provide our customer service! We chose James Green and Associates to serve our customers because we share the same vision for helping and serving ministries with insurance needs.

Tags: customer service, insurance, protection
November 7, 2023
Stop Plumbing Leaks with FloLogic
Stop Plumbing Leaks with FloLogic

Water and the damage it brings can be one of the most devastating property claims a ministry or organization can experience. Fortunately, there's a solution that identifies leaks when they start, as small as 1/2-ounce-per-minute. It's called FloLogic.

Tags: prevention, water damage, plumbing, leaks
September 7, 2023
Increasing Donor Trust
Increasing Donor Trust

The ability to inspire others to give is a blessing. Because fundraising can be both exciting and challenging, there are some important details to consider that can help your donors, and organization, have a smooth and successful experience.

Tags: ministry, insurance, donor
July 31, 2023
What to Know About Loaning Your Ministry Vehicle
What to Know About Loaning Your Ministry Vehicle

Has your church or school ever been asked to loan or rent one of your vans or buses to another ministry? Rather than running the risk of loaning or renting your own vehicle, you could consider aiding them financially in renting or chartering a vehicle from a rental agency.

Tags: ministry, car insurance, renting, safety, travel
January 26, 2023
Responding to Mission Issues
Responding to Mission Issues

Having insurance coverage specifically designed for long-term international missions helps protect your people and organization from the financial impact caused by injuries, lawsuits, property damage, and more.

Tags: mission travel, protection, kidnapping, insurance, risk, volunteers
January 26, 2023
Brotherhood Mutual Foundation Kingdom Advancing Grant
Brotherhood Mutual Foundation Kingdom Advancing Grant

For the second year, the Brotherhood Mutual Foundation is offering the Kingdom Advancing Grant to innovative Christian church programs that are transforming local communities through ministry.

Tags: ministry, grant, foundation, brotherhood mutual foundation
January 9, 2023
Better Achieve Your Mission in 2023
Better Achieve Your Mission in 2023
Tags: ministry, insurance, legal assist, operations
November 10, 2022
Evaluate Your Ministry's Fire Safety Plan
Evaluate Your Ministry's Fire Safety Plan

With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s wise for ministries to evaluate their fire safety plan. Whether your ministry is hosting a holiday party, prepping treats for charity, or running a community kitchen, make sure you’re well-prepared with these tips.

Tags: ministry, insurance, volunteers, emergency, fire safety
September 9, 2022
School is Back in Session
School is Back in Session

As school is back in session, it’s important to make sure your school is equipped with the correct safety procedures. Thinking about your school’s physical security as a series of layers can help you find gaps in your plan. Transportation and volunteers are just two important aspects of your school safety plan to think about.

Tags: ministry, protection, insurance, volunteers, transportation, child safety
July 15, 2022
Shepherding Ministries in a Time of Change
Shepherding Ministries in a Time of Change

Shepherding Ministries in a Time of Change

 

 

Anyone who turns on the news, flips through a magazine, or browses the web can see that American society and culture are experiencing rapid transitions. Some ministries have valid concerns that issues surrounding societal shifts may expose them to negative publicity, governmental scrutiny, or litigation.

 

The questions become: when and how can ministries operate within their deeply held religious beliefs when they may conflict with others’ rights?

 

Employees in nearly all organizations, secular or religious, can sue their employer because of the employment-related decisions the employer makes. The U.S. Constitution, however, affords ministries certain protection for decisions that ministry leaders make based on their religious beliefs (belief-based decisions).

 

Before getting into specific issues, it’s important to consider steps to help protect your ministry’s beliefs. These steps include updating ministry documents to include sincerely held beliefs, considering how your ministry will respond to issues and requests that may not align with its values, and consulting with a local attorney:

 

·      Update your governing documents (i.e., bylaws or constitution) – Pointing to an institution’s governing documents is one of the easiest ways to show that it is acting in accordance with its beliefs when challenged.

·      Update your operational documents – It’s good practice to weave your ministry’s purpose and beliefs throughout your written policies and procedures.

·      Consult with a local counsel – When revising organizational documents, policies, and procedures, ministry leaders should involve a local attorney.

 

To help protect your ministry, Brotherhood Mutual offers a Religious Freedom Protection Coverage. Additionally, Brotherhood Mutual has created a white paper {link} resource addressing current landscape and trends, lawsuits and threats, potential solutions and protections, and insurance considerations. Contact your American Church Group agent today to learn more about this coverage.

Tags: ministry, protection, religious freedom, insurance
May 12, 2022
Five Common Tricks of Cyber Scammers
Five Common Tricks of Cyber Scammers

Cyber security is increasingly crucial in our technologically advanced world. Scammers use many schemes when attempting to steal your data, but you can outsmart them by understanding their methods.

Tags: ministry, cyber security, technology, data, protection
March 1, 2022
Resolving Conflict in the Church
Resolving Conflict in the Church

When conflict occurs in the church, it can threaten the unity of a congregation. Experts say the only way to heal conflict is to acknowledge and address it. But how?

Tags: ministry, peacemaking, conflict, church, mediation, safety
January 25, 2022
Keep Your Ministry's Money Safe
Keep Your Ministry's Money Safe with Organizational Optional Theft Coverage

Theft isn’t just an issue for banks and large companies. Sometimes the kind and caring nature of your ministry is exactly what makes you a target. Organizational Optional Theft Coverage helps to assure that, if a thief takes advantage of your institution, what’s lost can be restored.

Tags: cybersecurity, protection, ministry, theft
July 22, 2021
Thousands in Relief Funding Available to Ministries Through the Employee Retention Credit
Thousands in Relief Funding Available to Ministries Through the Employee Retention Credit

Most ministry leaders don’t realize there is funding available to non-profit employers including churches, schools, colleges, and camps. This post includes some highlights about the credit and guidance on where to start to see if your ministry is eligible.

Tags: ERC, payroll, tax credit
April 21, 2021
Take Time to Review Your Ministry's Child Protection Plan
Take Time to Review Your Ministry's Child Protection Plan

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Though child abuse may not be something you could ever imagine happening within your ministry, sexual abuse of a minor is one of the top five reasons churches end up in court, according to Church Law & Tax. Studies also show that a child is much more likely to be sexually abused by a trusted adult than a stranger.

Tags: protect, child protection, abuse protection, child safety
March 16, 2021
Prepare for Severe Spring Storms Now
Prepare for Severe Spring Storms Now

When severe storms strike, they can produce high winds and tornadoes. Damaging winds can wreak havoc on your ministry’s property and to buildings. A high wind event can crash debris through your windows, strip your siding, down trees on your parking lot, peel shingles off your roof, and fling back the flashing.

Tags: weather emergency, lightning, storms, safety, protect
February 25, 2021
Catalytic Converter Theft on the Rise: Protect Ministry Vehicles
Catalytic Converter Theft on the Rise: Protect Ministry Vehicles

Thieves are taking advantage of soaring precious metal prices. Take steps to protect your ministry’s vehicles and property.

Tags: protect, theft, vehicle
February 8, 2021
Avoid Frozen Pipes as Temperatures Plummet
Avoid Frozen Pipes as Temperatures Plummet

As temperatures plummet, the risk of freezing pipes soars. Frozen pipes can cause costly messes that could also put your ministry on hold while you clean up.

Tags: frozen, building, pipes, prevent damage
November 23, 2020
COVID-19 and the Christmas Season
COVID-19 and the Christmas Season

Preparing for this Christmas season may require additional creativity, due to the uncertainty of what COVID-19 may bring in our local community.

Tags: COVID-19, health, health safety, protect, coronavirus, Christmas, risk management
October 28, 2020
Guidance for Ministries About Boy Scouts Bankruptcy
Guidance for Ministries About Boy Scouts' Bankruptcy

A mid-November deadline in the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) bankruptcy proceedings may have you wondering what the organization’s bankruptcy filing means for your ministry if you ever hosted or chartered Boy Scout Troops.

Tags: coverage, protect, liability, damages, youth