Flooding Emergency at Martin Luther Church from rain storm July 16th

On July 16, 2024, Martin Luther Church suffered considerable flood damage in the church basement and at the 5 Superior Ave building due to record rainfall. It will still take some time to get a full understanding of the true extent of the damage –especially in financial terms– but it is evident that significant repair and remediation work, as well as comprehensive disinfecting are necessary before the basement will be fully safe and usable again –especially for the children who attend Martin Luther Child Care, which was in the middle of summer programming and just opened a new preschool room on July 2, 2024.

The Wesley Mimico United Church Food Bank in the church basement was also flooded so remaining food will be distributed from the sanctuary for now. We will keep everyone posted as this ongoing –still very opaque — process becomes clearer and hopefully begins to yield results that will help offset our substantial costs.

A special thanks to all those who already have jumped in so generously and helped weather this unprecedented emergency, especially those selfless stalwarts among church council, staff, volunteers and parents of the child-care.

We welcome all additional donations –however small– to help us through this difficult time.

Sunday worship services will go ahead as scheduled since both sanctuary and foyer are intact. Hoping to see you all there!

Volunteers have been working tirelessly: communicating –via telephone and e-mail– with insurance claims adjustors/assessors, municipal officials and child care leadership to wade (pun unintended) through the labyrinth of bureaucratic regulations, requirements, to sort out responsibilities and liabilities for the damages incurred; and showing up in the days after the flood to mitigate damage – by mopping and vacuuming up water, setting up humidifiers, disposing of wet carpet and items, cleaning and documenting. Fortunately, professional drying and sanitizing began on Saturday July 20, 2024 already and will continue for several days.