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UMCOR to Participate in Ecumenical Hospitality, Resettlement, of Evacuees

Posted: September 8, 2005 Click to Visit Global News.

United Methodist Committee on Relief workers are negotiating a role in ecumenical hospitality for evacuees who need temporary housing but the plan won’t be fully operational until next week, agency officials said.

When finalized the plan will encompass a total program of referral to and hospitality by participating congregations for evacuees from the Gulf Coast region. The program will roll out initially in eight regions around the US where Church World Service already maintains resettlement affiliates and where evacuees have been placed.

CWS will coordinate this new program as it does the ecumenical resettlement program for political refugees. Some 50 United Methodist churches have participated in resettlement efforts for political refugees in 2005. More details on this new domestic program for evacuees are expected within a few days. “We recommend that congregations make a community response in resettling Katrina evacuees,” said the Rev. Kristin L. Sachen, who heads UMCOR’s emergency services office. “Our experience resettling political refugees taught UMCOR how important it is to have full congregational response,” she said.

Though the plight of Gulf Coast residents displaced by the massive hurricane is not comparable to that of refugees, some of the practices are transferable. For instance a congregation’s role as host may include providing temporary housing and stocking a home with food, clothing, and household goods. In addition volunteers from the congregation would orient a resettled family to services in the community, such as transportation, schools, and health care.

The objective, said Rev. Sachen, is to help a resettled family become self-sufficient. Cash gifts will help UMCOR continue to support work of volunteers, annual conferences and interfaith response efforts in the Gulf Coast disaster area as well as other vulnerable regions of the world. Donors can give online at methodistrelief.org. Checks can be mailed to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. One hundred percent of every donation to any appeal, including the Hurricane Relief/Katrina appeal, UMCOR Advance #982523, goes to support recovery efforts in the disaster-stricken regions.

 

How You Can Help

Give:

Your generous gift to UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005 Global, will help those affected by Hurricane Katrina. You can give online at www.methodistrelief.org, at your church, over the phone at 1-800-554-8583, or by mailing a check directly to: UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068. Checks should be written to UMCOR with the Advance number and name written on the memo line of your check. If you would prefer that your funds to go to recovery in a specific region, please note that on your donation.

Send:

There is an urgent need for both health kits and school kits. These collections of everyday items will help families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The health kits contain items such as a toothbrush, wash cloth, and soap. The school kits contain items like paper, pencils, and items to help children start school. For assembly and shipping instructions, call UMCOR Sager Brown at 1-800-814-8765 or visit the UMCOR website. You may also give a financial donation to to UMCOR's Material Resource Ministry, Advance #901440 to purchase kit supplies that the Depot staff and volunteers will use to assemble health kits and school kits.

Go:

Volunteers will be needed to help in Hurricane Katrina recovery. To find out how you can help with hurricane cleanup, contact your United Methodist Volunteers in Mission jurisdictional and annual conference coordinators. A list of these coordinators is available on the web at http://gbgm-umc.org/vim/vimcoords.htm or write Mission Volunteers at voluntrs@gbgm-umc.org for contact information. They will provide details on creating and training a team as well as scheduling details. For information on what disaster sites are currently scheduling volunteers, call the Volunteer Hotline at 800-918-3100.

 

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