About Us

Mission Statement: Grounded in faith, the Lutheran Disaster Response Network – Northeastern Pennsylvania seeks to be prepared for disasters and to bring help and hope as we address the spiritual, physical, emotional, relational and intellectual needs of individuals and communities whose lives have been affected by a disaster.

LDRN - NE PA is based in Lutheran Congregational Services, in Allentown and serves the 14 county region from Berks, Lehigh and Northampton north to the New York border. LDRN - NE PA is an affiliate of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), which organization is made up of Missouri Synod and ELCA Lutherans working together to help people who have been affected by disaster, whether they be local or outside our region.

With the flooding experienced along the Delaware and Lehigh rivers in April 2005, the position of Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Coordinator was funded and major local work was undertaken. Just as we thought things were almost under control, heavy rains in June 2006 caused major flooding throughout the region and 12 of our counties were declared federal disaster areas. For more information about our current response, click here.

LDRN – NE PA is also involved in disaster preparedness planning for the territory it serves.  This process involves designing and refining the preparedness plan for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod as well as encouraging and guiding congregations in the development of their own preparedness plans.  It also includes developing a data base of potential volunteers, congregations, agencies and resources which can be available for response to a disaster on our territory or deployed to other regions. For more information about our preparedness efforts, click here.To share information about resources you could contribute as an individual, click here or as a congregation, click here.

While a great deal of our effort is focused on helping people return to safe, sanitary and secure housing, our disaster response ministry also seeks to assist children, youth and families in their emotional and spiritual recovery.  Programs are designed for particular communities to give survivors opportunities and resources for processing what they have experienced as well as find support as they adapt to new circumstances.  LDRN – NE PA also partners with a national program called Camp Noah to gather teams and resources for this unique ministry to children impacted by disaster.

Volunteer Orientation Packet

Guidelines for Cleanup