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UMCOR Powers Hurricane Response With Grants, VolunteersPosted: September 15, 2004 NEW YORK-- Recovery from the multiple hurricanes of this season moves forward. Already UMCOR and the Florida Annual Conference have assisted more than 80,000 Floridians. Powering the response are equipment, volunteers, and monetary grants. Thirty tractor trailers full of cleanup supplies, emergency food, and building materials from UMCOR and other United Methodist disaster relief depots have converged in the hardest-hit areas. Volunteers have borrowed church vans and rented commercial trailers to redistribute supplies from logistics sites. The United Methodist relief agency said volunteers from 22 states are removing debris, making roof repairs, and clearing out mud and water in hurricane-devastated Florida homes. Nearly 30 percent of the state's United Methodist church buildings have sustained damage. UMCOR is also looking beyond Florida to the Caribbean islands, lashed by the most violent storms in a decade. Hurricane Frances mauled nearly every island in the Bahamas. In response, UMCOR sent an initial grant to its partner the Bahamas Conference of The Methodist Church for water, shingles, plywood, tarps, medical supplies, and emergency food. UMCOR will also assist with development of long-term recovery plans. In Grenada, where Hurricane Ivan earned the nickname "Ivan the Terrible," UMCOR's partner The Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas is coordinating recovery efforts. An emergency grant will assist with initial cleanup, repairs, and fresh water and food. Mudslides and flash flooding plagued Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. Some residents are still without power or telephone service. UMCOR is discussing response options with its partners there. In all these settings UMCOR officials say the long-term recovery will last from three to five years. Kristin L. Sachen, program executive for UMCOR's disaster response, said, "This is the UMCOR way, having the patience to be the last ones out." The agency continues to call for donations of cleaning supplies. Specifications are online. Gifts of money are also critical, to assure continued readiness as more hurricanes threaten. Contributions to support this work may be sent to "Hurricanes 2004," Advance #982410, either through any United Methodist offering plate, or direct to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Donors who want to use a credit card may call toll free 1-800-554-8583. See AlsoNews and Resources
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 Volunteers, young and old, clean up Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church in Riviera Beach, Florida. Nathan Bearfour, right, is 94-years-old. Nearly 30 percent of the state's United Methodist church buildings have sustained damage from hurricanes this year. Credit: Tom Hazelwood/UMCOR, September 9, 2004 How to Participate in This ResponseDonations for the denomination's response to this years deadly hurricanes should be earmarked for Hurricanes 2004, UMCOR Advance #982410. Checks written to UMCOR can be placed in church offering plates or mailed directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, N.Y. 10115. Credit card donations can be made by calling 1-800-554-8583 toll free. Flood BucketsHelp replenish supplies of flood buckets filled with cleaning materials. Contents and specifications can be found online at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/print/kits/. Completed flood buckets--and $1.50 per bucket to cover reshipping-- should be sent to UMCOR Sager Brown, 101 Sager Brown Rd., Baldwin, LA 70514. UMCOR is also requesting donations to Material Resource Ministry, Advance #901440 for cleaning supplies that the staff and volunteers at the Sager Brown Depot will use to assemble flood buckets. VolunteersIndividuals or organizations interested in coordinating a group to assist with Hurricane relief and recovery efforts can call UMCOR's toll-free volunteer hotline at 1-800-918-3100 or email lknight@gbgm-umc.org. |
