About North Dakota Floods

Last week, the Red River in Fargo, ND, swelled to over 40 feet, forcing the evacuation of over 4,000 homes in Fargo and surrounding towns, as well as some parts of Minnesota. After cresting Sunday, the river will most likely stay within 5 feet of its record height through the next week. Below-20 degree temperatures means overland flooding has been freezing, creating ice jams which could block the flood waters from receding and delay recovery efforts. A snowstorm is also due to strike the region early this week. Officials are standing by in case of a breach in levees or sandbags, which could force more evacuations and leave up to 80,000 to 100,000 homeless.

Our Efforts

Operation Blessing’s Disaster Relief Team has deployed to North Dakota and is coordinating with volunteer relief agencies and local officials to bring relief to rural and poor areas that are not receiving much aid. We have deployed our mobile kitchen unit, which can feed up to 1,500 hot meals a day, to help support emergency management officials and first responders. OBI has adopted the small town of Linton, ND, and is helping residents, many of whom are elderly and disabled, to salvage their belongings. We are also taking work orders from families who need recovery assistance, assembling teams of volunteers and have dispatched construction/clean-up trailers packed with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and tools for volunteer clean-up crews arriving this week.

Volunteer Accommodations

Separate sleeping quarters will be provided for men and women. Cots are available, but volunteers are responsible for bringing blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, and towels for showers. Meals will be provided by Operation Blessing.

What You Will Be Doing

Volunteer teams will conduct labor-intensive efforts to help flood victims remove debris and clean out mud from flooded homes. All work will be supervised by an Operation Blessing Foreman. Volunteer workers will be provided all the necessary tools and personal protection equipment needed. Volunteers will also be involved in meal preparation under the supervision of our mobile kitchen chefs.