Disaster response involves dozens of organizations with overlapping but distinct roles. Understanding who does what—and when—is critical for effective coordination. This guide maps the disaster response ecosystem.
Disaster response is a relay race, not a sprint. Different organizations are built for different phases. The Red Cross doesn't do long-term rebuilding. Mennonite Disaster Service doesn't run emergency shelters. Understanding handoffs is as important as understanding capabilities.
Every disaster moves through predictable phases. Different organizations are optimized for different phases.
Focus: Life safety, emergency shelter, immediate needs
Key players: Fire/EMS, Emergency Management, Red Cross, Salvation Army
Activities: Search and rescue, emergency shelter, mass feeding, debris clearance for access
Focus: Stabilization, damage assessment, immediate repairs
Key players: Samaritan's Purse, Baptist Disaster Relief, Team Rubicon, local LTR formation
Activities: Tarping roofs, mucking/gutting flooded homes, tree removal, case management begins
Focus: Rebuilding, case management, long-term assistance
Key players: Local LTR, Mennonite Disaster Service, All Hands and Hearts, Catholic Charities
Activities: Home repairs, rebuilds, financial assistance, case management, unmet needs coordination
Use this table to quickly identify which organizations provide which services.
| Organization | Phase | Primary Services | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Red Cross | Response | Emergency shelter, immediate needs assistance, blood services | Days to weeks |
| Salvation Army | Response | Mass feeding, hydration, emotional/spiritual care | Days to weeks |
| Samaritan's Purse | Relief | Chainsaw crews, tarping, mucking/gutting, debris removal | 2-8 weeks |
| Baptist Disaster Relief | Relief | Mass feeding, chainsaw crews, mudout, childcare | 2-12 weeks |
| Team Rubicon | Relief | Veteran volunteers, skilled debris removal, home assessments | 1-4 weeks |
| Catholic Charities | Recovery | Case management, financial assistance, immigration help | Months to years |
| Mennonite Disaster Service | Rebuild | Skilled construction, full home rebuilds | Months to years |
| All Hands and Hearts | Rebuild | Long-term volunteer construction, community rebuilding | Months to years |
| Lutheran Disaster Response | Recovery | Case management, emotional/spiritual care, grants | Months to years |
| Local LTR | Recovery | Coordination of all partners, case management, unmet needs | 18-36 months |
These organizations respond within hours to days. They focus on life safety and immediate stabilization.
What they do:
What they don't do:
Many people assume the Red Cross handles all disaster assistance. In reality, Red Cross focuses on immediate emergency response and typically phases out within weeks. Long-term recovery is handled by LTRs and other partners.
What they do:
What they don't do:
These organizations arrive in weeks 2-8, focusing on stabilization work like tarping, tree removal, and mucking out flooded homes.
What they do:
How to request: Contact through state VOAD or directly at samaritanspurse.org
Typical deployment: 2-6 weeks per disaster
What they do:
How to request: Contact your state Baptist convention or through state VOAD
Typical deployment: 2-12 weeks depending on disaster scale
Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers served over 14 million meals in a single year. Their feeding capacity is unmatched—when they show up with mobile kitchens, you can feed hundreds of volunteers and survivors daily.
What they do:
How to request: teamrubiconusa.org or through state VOAD
Typical deployment: 1-4 weeks, often multiple rotations
These organizations arrive months after the disaster and stay for years. They focus on actual reconstruction and rebuilding.
What they do:
Requirements: Projects must be case-managed and referred through the LTR
Typical involvement: 6-36 months per disaster site
Mennonite Disaster Service is known for exceptional construction quality. Their volunteers include professional contractors, and work is done to code. When MDS rebuilds a home, it's often better than the original.
What they do:
Model: Sets up semi-permanent base camps, hosts volunteers for weeks at a time
Typical involvement: 1-3 years per disaster site
What they do:
Strength: Often have pre-existing presence in communities, can sustain years-long recovery
What they do:
Strength: Strong focus on emotional/spiritual recovery alongside physical needs
These organizations don't provide direct services—they coordinate among the organizations that do.
Levels:
What they do:
What they do:
Note: LTRs are formed after disasters, specific to each event. They're temporary organizations that dissolve when recovery is complete.
National organizations provide surge capacity, but local partners provide sustained presence and community knowledge.
The best path is through your state VOAD. They have relationships with all the national organizations and can make warm introductions. You can also contact organizations directly through their websites, but VOAD connections are typically faster and more effective.
This is why coordination matters. The LTR should maintain a master list of cases and assign organizations to specific families/projects. The "Unmet Needs Table" meeting is where resources are matched to needs without duplication.
No. Organizations like Samaritan's Purse, Baptist Disaster Relief, and Mennonite Disaster Service serve all disaster survivors regardless of religious affiliation. They may pray with homeowners (if welcomed), but assistance is never conditional on faith.
Smaller disasters often don't attract national volunteer organizations, but they can still benefit from LTR coordination. Your state VOAD can help connect you with regional resources. Local partners (churches, civic groups) become even more important for smaller events.
It varies widely. Response-phase organizations (Red Cross, Salvation Army) typically stay days to weeks. Relief-phase organizations (Samaritan's Purse, Team Rubicon) stay 2-8 weeks. Rebuild organizations (MDS, All Hands) may stay 1-3 years for major disasters, or a few months for smaller ones.
FEMA provides government assistance, which is different from voluntary organization assistance. FEMA's Individual Assistance (IA) program provides grants directly to survivors. FEMA coordinates with VOADs but operates separately. Many survivors receive help from both FEMA and voluntary organizations, as FEMA assistance often doesn't cover full recovery needs. Learn more about FEMA coordination →
Now that you understand who does what, learn how to bring partners together through an effective LTR.
Standing Up an LTR →