Washington Volunteers Remove 6,000 Pounds of Flood Debris

When Sally's basement flooded last December in Sultan, Washington, she waited 90 days for help that never came. Her insurance had lapsed, and she had no idea how to move forward until volunteers from the Mennonite Disaster Service Washington Unit arrived at her door.

Over two days, the team cleared flood-damaged furniture, flooring, wallboard, cabinets, and insulation from her basement. By the time they finished, Sally finally had a clear path toward making her home livable again.

The Washington Unit has been quietly working across Skagit and Snohomish Counties since winter floods left families stranded with damage too small for national headlines but devastating for those living through it. In the Cape Horn community alone, volunteers identified more than 20 homes needing help, many belonging to elderly homeowners or families who couldn't afford repairs.

On the weekend of June 27-28, that quiet work became a powerful movement. The Washington Unit joined 11 other volunteer organizations for a community-wide cleanup coordinated by United Way of Skagit County, bringing together nearly 60 volunteers.

On Saturday, they worked alongside Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation volunteers at one heavily impacted property, loading more than a ton of debris into dump trailers. By Sunday afternoon, every assigned task was complete.

The numbers tell part of the story. Nearly 6,000 pounds of trash and debris hauled away. More than 5,000 pounds already removed from Cape Horn before the weekend even started. Flooded basements restored in Sultan and Burlington.

But the real measure came in tears and thank-yous from homeowners who finally saw relief after months of waiting. Families watched as piles of debris that had sat on their properties since December finally disappeared.

The Ripple Effect

The Washington Unit is one of approximately 41 MDS units working across the United States and Canada, supported by 235 congregations in their region alone. While natural disasters grab headlines, these local units focus on the neighbors who fall through the cracks: families without insurance, elderly homeowners who can't clear debris alone, and communities still recovering long after the news cameras leave.

The work doesn't require construction experience. Volunteers of all skill levels show up to swing hammers, haul debris, or simply offer encouragement to families who thought they'd been forgotten.

In Cape Horn, volunteers are still coordinating with other groups to work through remaining cases involving debris removal, porch rebuilds, and flood-related repairs. The December floods may have happened months ago, but for these families, recovery is just beginning.