Bringing Hope into Crisis

For nearly 10 years, the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) has assisted over 41,000 survivors impacted by disaster within Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana borders, bringing hope into crisis. ADRN is a network of over 185 greater Austin Christian Churches along with thousands of trained Christian volunteers, ready to meet the emotional, spiritual and physical needs of those affected by disaster. ADRN has responded to over 18 large disasters since 2009 and 80-100 smaller disasters per year in the greater Austin area, which serves over 2.1 million people. ADRN has helped several cities organize and mobilize together in times of disaster, forming new church networks and assisting cities form new church networks outside of disaster.

ADRN’s Unique Model Includes (not limited to):

• Uniting the local Christian Church to respond together in times of crisis, sharing resources, utilizing strengths and collaborating in vision to see entire regions transformed
• Providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to those in need through trained Christian volunteers, and
• Helping survivors get back on their feet, long-term, through a tested and proven process of connecting and supporting them through the local Church (The Shepherd Program)

Click here to view ABOUT ADRN video >

How ADRN’s Model Can Help Your City

Since 2015, ADRN leadership began to develop the process of duplicating the ADRN Model and core trainings that would assist cities to become prepared before a disaster strikes. ADRN has developed a Disaster Relief Network (DRN) training to assist cities with:

1. Forming a Disaster Relief Network (i.e. filing IRS Form 1023)
2. Laying the Spiritual and Organizational Foundation of the Network
3. Building a Church Network
4. Disaster Training for Volunteers
5. Disaster Deployment Protocol
6. Next Steps

Equipping Houses of Prayer and Prayer Rooms

ADRN is also equipped to assist Houses of Prayer (HOPs) and/or Prayer Rooms (PRs) for times of disaster. We believe that in the near future, HOPs and/or PRs will become a place refuge for the lost and hurting that have nowhere else to turn. We believe it is critical for these organizations to be:

• United with the local Church in prayer and outreach
• To have a plan in place in order to mobilize quickly and effectively
• Ensure volunteers are properly trained emotionally, physically and/or spiritually before disaster strikes
• Be ready to receive disaster survivors or those in crisis (i.e. suicidal, if and when disaster strikes)

In 2016, ADRN launched the HOPE Prayer Room (HPR) to equip the body of Christ to encounter and behold the beauty of Jesus and to proclaim peace in the midst of crisis, restoring hope. HPR’s role has been vital to ADRN’s objectives of advancing the Kingdom of God in cities impacted by disaster. Roles include:

• Initiating prayer teams and/or worship teams before disaster strikes, praying for God’s intervention and protection
• Creating a place for disaster survivors to encounter the love of God through worship and prayer, along with emotional and spiritual care provided through the Prayer Room
• Mobilizing prayer and worship teams into the disaster field, to provide prayer coverage for the relief efforts, for volunteers and survivors
• Hosting prayer and worship gatherings for staff and volunteers to be continually refreshed and revitalized in the midst of intense, initial response

Questions to Consider:

• Is the church in your area connected and working together?
• Does the Church have a plan in place to mobilize and be organized as one body?
• Does the local Prayer Room or House of Prayer have trained staff and volunteers to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of those in crisis, if and when they begin to come in?
• Is the body of Christ in your region trained emotionally, spiritually and physically in order to meet the needs of those affected by disaster?

ADRN Video – ADRN’s Encourage Message to Houses of Prayer

ADRN Video – About Us 

ADRN Video – Disaster Relief Shepherd Program

To learn more and watch more videos, visit ADRN Youtube channel.