gogues , mosques , and temples transform into emergency relief sites . They are the first places that people come for help , and the first to provide essential aid . Houses of worship participate in the long-term recovery effort , providing volunteer manual labor and ongoing assistance to their neighbors as communities rebuild . It is not hyperbolic to say that America cannot recover from natural disasters without congregations and the buildings that they steward . The preservation and maintenance of these buildings are therefore not only good public investments , but an essential component of climate resilience and disaster management strategies .
To look more closely at the value of historic buildings in disaster resilience , a research team was organized by the University of Texas at San Antonio ’ s Center for Cultural Sustainability , funded by the Texas Historical Commission . Partners ’ staff joined an interdisciplinary team of building professionals to investigate the key factors influencing the resiliency of older sacred places along the Texas Gulf Coast . The project recruited nine case study congregations in Galveston , Harris , and Victoria counties , and the architects provided thorough assessments of their facilities to identify damage caused by previous storms that threatened their resilience in the face of future storms . Partners ’ staff interviewed Gulf Coast congregations and relief organizations , and convened Knowledge Cafés to learn about how congregations and their buildings participate in an informal relief network after natural disasters . These conversations provided key information on how congregations can be resourced and supported in the fugure , and how congregations can best engage with civic groups to effectively collaborate in relief and recovery efforts .
The team ’ s research findings were incorporated into an accessible and easyto-use toolkit for congregations to assess and increase their own readiness for future disasters , including :
• Resilience Roadmap : A stepby-step manual for building managers and congregational leaders to improve the resilience of their facilities and organizations before and after a natural disaster ;
• Resilience Performance Indicators : An easy and free survey tool for property managers to
predict how well their facilities will stand up to natural disasters ;
• Summary Vulnerability Assessment : A more detailed assessment that can be used by congregations ( collaborating with an architect ) to identify and prioritize capital projects and identify strategies to holistically enhance resilience ;
• Resilience Treatments & Strategies : A quick guide to the most effective recommendations for improving the structural resilience of sacred places . As climate change creates more extreme weather events , houses of worship must become active and intentional partners in disaster recovery and resilience efforts . Following this research project , Partners and UTSA ’ s Center for Cultural Sustainability will continue to collaborate by building a resilience network of congregations , judicatories , disaster relief organizations , preservationists , and academic institutions . This network will work to increase local and national resilience to climate change and resulting natural disasters by strengthening congregations and their buildings to respond to the next big storm .
How Your Congregation Can Prepare for the Next Big Storm
Congregations can strengthen their presence and service most effectively by developing partnerships with the agencies and organizations that need physical space to provide relief and recovery services . If you have not already done so , begin conversations about what you can offer with :
• Your local Office of Emergency Management
• Your local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster ( VOAD ) chapter
•Faith-Based Disaster
Relief Groups
• Lutheran Disaster Response
• NECHAMA – Jewish Response to Disaster
• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
• United Methodist Committee On Relief ( UMCOR )
Sacred places such as First Christian Church DOC in Aransas Pass , Texas , because of their sturdy construction , can weather storms and serve as local relief stations following disasters . They become distribution sites for food , water , and information about government-sponsored aid , contributing to a community ’ s resilience following a disaster . First Christian Church
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