7 Years & 700 Homes- The Mobile Response Team
- Katie Sylvis
- Aug 30
- 3 min read
The concept of forming a dedicated disaster response team composed of AmeriCorps members in Iowa emerged as a direct and necessary response to the devastating tornadoes that struck Marshalltown, Iowa, in 2018. This catastrophic event highlighted the urgent need for a structured and effective approach to disaster recovery and community rebuilding. The Habitat for Humanity of Iowa AmeriCorps Program, which had been actively serving communities for 15 years, recognized that the creation of a specialized team would significantly enhance their capacity to be ready to respond to disaster when needed. The program was created in partnership with Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Volunteer Iowa, AmeriCorps, and local Habitat for Humanities.
This new initiative was envisioned not only as a response to immediate needs, but also as a long-term commitment to resilience and recovery in the face of future disasters. By early 2019, the newly formed Mobile Response Team (MRT) successfully recruited its first cohort of enthusiastic AmeriCorps members, who were tasked with residing in Marshalltown and continuing the critical rebuilding efforts that had been initiated by other teams and volunteers who had since departed.
Since those initial days of operation, the team has undergone significant transitions, including the relocation of their headquarters from Marshalltown to Cedar Rapids in response to the widespread destruction caused by the derecho that struck the region in 2020. This move allowed the MRT to be more strategically positioned to respond to ongoing and emerging disaster needs across Iowa.
Throughout its operation, the Mobile Response Team (MRT) has hosted a remarkable total of 51 AmeriCorps members, who have collectively contributed over 36,000 hours of service to various communities throughout Iowa. This impressive commitment reflects the dedication and passion of the members, who have been deployed to 12 disaster events across the United States. While not responding to short- and long-term disaster events, the team would assist local Habitat for Humanities across Iowa addressing critical volunteer needs. Their assistance has been invaluable to homes across Iowa.
Overall, the impact of the Mobile Response Team (MRT)'s efforts has been substantial, as they have been able to assist nearly 700 homes through their dedicated work. This includes 124 homes (and counting) that the team assisted with local Habitats in Iowa, along with 574 homes that were through various disaster response initiatives. The diversity of the projects undertaken by the MRT underscores the varying nature of disaster recovery work, which often requires flexibility and adaptability in approach. The activities of the MRT have varied significantly with each deployment and project request, showcasing the team’s ability to respond to a wide range of needs. On certain days, the team might find themselves installing windows in homes that had been damaged by storms, while on other occasions, they might be engaged in the arduous task of cleaning and gutting homes that had been flooded, working tirelessly to restore normalcy to affected families and communities.
Highlighted here are some of the deployments undertaken by the MRT over the years. Some of these are official federal disasters while others are local requests for the teams help.
Marshalltown Tornado | Summer 2018 - Spring 2021
Southwest Iowa Flooding | Summer-Fall 2019
Statewide COVID-19 Food Insecurity Teams | Spring 2020
Cedar Rapids and surrounding area Derecho | Summer 2020 - Summer 2021
Statewide COVID-19 Volunteer Shortage | 2020-2022
Las Vegas, Nevada - COVID-19 response | August 2021
Trenton, New Jersey Hurricane Relief | Fall 2021
Madison County Tornadoes | Spring 2022
St. Louis County, Missouri Flood Response | Summer 2022
Marion County, Tornado | Spring 2023
Greenfield, Iowa Tornadoes | May 2024 and May 2025
Northwest Iowa Flooding | Summer/Fall 2024, scheduled Fall 2025
Unfortunately, due to shifts in funding priorities and the end of critical grant funding, the Mobile Response Team has officially ended its programming and will no longer be responding to disasters or local Habitat needs after August 2025. After August, Habitat for Humanity of Iowa still plans to respond to disasters as we have capacity, but we are unsure what that looks like at this time.
Thank you to all the AmeriCorps service members who have been part of this team over the years. If you would like to reach out to share your disaster experience, stories, and photos, please reach out to Katie Sylvis - kzellmer@iowahabitat.org
View past Disaster Member Spotlights here:
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