OPPORTUNITY
FOR MINISTRY
EMERGENCY RELIEF & DISASTER
RESPONSE -
Hurricane Katrina, U.S. Gulf Coast
Hope
Shall Bloom – United Church of Christ Hurricane Recovery
HURRICANE
KATRINA DISASTER RESPONSE COORDINATOR'S UPDATE, 9/13/05
Rev. Melinda V. McLain, NCNC Disaster Response Coordinator,
415-378-3193, <revmelinda@earthlink.net>
 While the media keeps our eyes focussed on the Gulf Coast, we need to bring
our hands and hearts to bear here at home. It is estimated that as many as
one million people have been displaced by hurricane Katrina and the levee break
in New Orleans. While we watched the forced evacuations on television, most
survivors self-evacuated all over the country - including California. As of
September 13, 2005, FEMA has registered over 6,000 evacuees who are now in
our state and the American Red Cross has already opened 4,000 cases.
Our role as the United Church of Christ within the disaster community is to
aid long term recovery and unmet needs and as your Disaster Response Coordinator
I will be attending weekly meetings and/or conference calls with leaders from
the state and local agencies (NoCal VOAD) to look for ways that we can be most
effective in our response. If you have creative ideas or suggestions, please
call me and I will pass them on or let you know whether that need has already
been addressed by another agency.
Here are a few initial needs that you and/or your congregation might consider:
Know evacuees?
Encourage them to register with the American Red Cross immediately so that
they can access an array of local services being set up for them with ease.
Local Assistance and/or Family Assistance Centers have been set up in Sacramento,
Stockton, Riverside, LA and San Diego. Another center will open soon in Oakland,
but for now evacuees can go to any local Red Cross chapter or call 415-427-8000
in the Bay Area to get connected.
Want to volunteer? (local AND in the Southeast)
Eden Information and Referral in Hayward is coordinating all housing for the
state. If you'd like to offer low-cost or free housing for a few months for
evacuees, please call, 510-727-9565 (9-5) They also need volunteers for data
entry and to answer phones, so sign-up with your local Volunteer Center or
call me for more information.
The UCC Florida Conference Disaster Response Ministry is ready to receive
individuals and groups to help repair the 43,000 homes damaged by LAST
year's hurricane season. They are ready to receive your and you can gain
experience in Florida for the long term recovery needs on the Gulf coast
where rebuilding will not be possible until more infrastructure is established.
Contact Candy Shoop at the Florida conference office, 407-835-7501 <casucc250@yahoo.com>
The American Red Cross has 26,000 volunteers deployed and needs to IMMEDIATELY
train and then deploy another 40,000 to relieve this first wave. Sign-up at
your ARC chapter.
Want to contribute?
Do give generously to the UCC's "Hope Shall Bloom" Hurricane Katrina Fund by
sending your church's donations to the Conference office. These monies will
be pooled and then directed wherever they are most needed for unmet needs and
longterm recovery. Some money will be funneled through Church World Service,
but other monies will be allocated directly by the UCC Disaster Ministries
to help local agencies, churches and organizations that are directly affected
and will NOT be assisted by other entities. As the "Still Speaking" church,
we often target agencies that serve undocumented people and those sisters
and brothers who are uniquely vulnerable and slip through the cracks of other
relief organizations. 100% of every dollar you give will go to meet needs.
This is possible because your gifts to Our Church's Wider Mission basic support
provide for the infrastructure necessary to make the UCC disaster response
possible.
Warehouses in the affected area are overflowing with clothing, furniture,
etc. so there is no need for these items right now. Furniture and clothing
donations are managed locally by Goodwill and the Salvation Army. If you'd
like to give these sorts of things, donate locally to these groups. Local
evacuees will be given the opportunity to do some "free" shopping at these
agencies to get what they want and need as they move in to shorterm housing
here in California.
Need more information and/or training?
I am available to provide educational events and training on disaster response
including the special problems involved with a technological (human-caused)
disaster such as the levee break in New Orleans. If your congregation would
like to develop a disaster response ministry, I'd be happy to connect you with
resources and assistance.
Want to stay connected?
Send an email or call me to get added to our resource lists. Let me know how
your congregation plans to respond to this disaster and/or how you will prepare
for the next disaster.
Rev. Melinda V. McLain
Northern California Nevada Conference
United Church of Christ
Disaster Ministry Coordinator
c. 415-378-3193
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HURRICANE
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