Communities most vulnerable to climate change are at risk for higher disaster impacts. The increasing threats made the Pulte Institute’s research approach useful to an organization striving to identify the best interventions.
In 2022, Global Ministries, the international mission, humanitarian relief, and development organization of The United Methodist Church, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) partnered with the Pulte Institute’s Evidence and Learning Division to conduct an impact evaluation for its United States Disaster Response program.
From 2017 to 2020, the USDR program conducted extensive hurricane relief efforts across the southern U.S. and Puerto Rico.
“For 20 years, Global Ministries and UMCOR’s disaster prep initiatives have made a real difference, providing critically needed support for hundreds of thousands of people,” Pulte Institute Evidence and Learning Director Paul Perrin said. “But crucial gaps remained, and they turned to us to further refine their strategy.”
Perrin collaborated on the project with Core Affiliated Faculty and Keough School Assistant Teaching Professor Sisi Meng, and Senior Research Associate Lila Khatiwada.
Disaster resilience is a broad concept, making measurement challenging. The Pulte Institute’s evaluation consisted of a mixed-methods approach integrating comparative household surveys with focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The findings have helped Global Ministries and UMCOR prioritize efforts that have the most significant long-term impact and incorporate more technology to aid in disaster planning and resource allocation, including platforms to gather real-time information from affected individuals to optimize the distribution of food, water, medical supplies, and personnel.
The findings also highlight the importance of looking at social and demographic data to help identify vulnerable populations, such as older adults or those with disabilities, who may need additional support during and after a storm.