The United Methodist Committee on Relief announced it will close a regional depot where thousands of disaster relief kits have been assembled and shipped for nearly 30 years.
Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., will be closed in January 2027 because the 48,000-sq.-ft. warehouse doesn’t match UMCOR’s plans and needs extensive renovation, according to a Feb. 10 press release. The announcement said UMCOR — considered the crown jewel of United Methodist mission work — is “reimagining” how to adapt its gathering and distribution of relief supplies to meet increased disasters, especially extreme weather events intensified by climate change.
Roland Fernandes
Roland Fernandes, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries that administers UMCOR, told UM News, “As disasters increase in frequency throughout the United States, building a more distributed and agile network that draws on the expertise of partners is critical to UMCOR’s future disaster response efforts.”
UMCOR officials also cited research indicating capital investments needed to modernize the facility’s software systems, barcode scanning, and logistics infrastructure would be “cost-prohibitive.” Financial issues are more acute for the UMC since 7,500 churches left the denomination between 2019 and 2023, drastically reducing the denomination’s income from local church donations.
UMCOR is unusual among humanitarian agencies because The United Methodist Church covers its administrative costs. This arrangement means 100% of all donations go to the agency’s relief and community development mission.
Fernandes acknowledged the emotional impact of the closure: “We know that this transition represents a significant shift for those involved with this ministry. UMCOR Sager Brown has been a cornerstone of our relief supply kit distribution for nearly 30 years, and we are grateful for the dedicated and faithful staff, volunteers and donors who have sustained this ministry.”
Louisiana Conference Bishop Delores Williamston also noted United Methodists’ expressions of “surprise, sadness and concern,” at news of Sager Brown’s closure.
“This place holds deep meaning for many people, and it is right to pause, to grieve what is changing, and to give thanks for the ministry that has touched so many lives.”
“Those reactions are understandable, and we want people to know that we hear them,” Williamston said in a report by conference communications director Todd Rossnagel. “This place holds deep meaning for many people, and it is right to pause, to grieve what is changing, and to give thanks for the ministry that has touched so many lives.”
Relief kits have been a core mission project for United Methodist churches for decades. Hygiene kits typically include a hand towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap and other supplies. Disaster relief kits — also known as “flood buckets” — typically carry a range of cleaning supplies, including gloves, to help victims remove flood and storm debris. from floods and storms.
UMCOR’s press release said the agency “will partner with an experienced logistics organization to ensure quick and efficient distribution of relief supply kits to communities affected by disasters. In addition, UMCOR is developing a capacity-building grant program for affiliate warehouses across the United States to support volunteer involvement, enhance kit readiness, and meet UMCOR operational standards.”