Opening Your Doors

Form a Committee

Before any decisions are made regarding hosting evacuees, form a committee among interested persons to work together. Hosting evacuees should be a community effort. UMCOR does not recommend individuals sponsoring evacuees. Evacuees belonged to a community before Hurricane Katrina. Now, they will need a new community to support them.

Evaluate Resources

Have a meeting to determine community interests and assets. Make a schedule for future meetings – determine if people are willing to commit for 18-24 months or longer. Share available information, or ask persons to find out:

• What is available within the group?
Furnishings, visiting, transportation, primary contact person, etc.

• What is available from the church?
Benevolence fund for rental, initial welcome, counseling services, etc.

• What is available from your local community?
Clothing bank, food bank, temp agencies, job listings, etc.

• What is available from local government agencies?
Public assistance, medical coverage, application processes, etc.

• What is already happening in your community that you could support?
Relatives hosting families, a Red Cross or other shelter, etc.

Be prepared for uncertainties and difficulties. Take time to think, pray and plan. Hurricane survivors may need extra time to make major decisions. Evacuating to a new place – new city , new state – is a major decision.

Hosting an evacuee is a major decision. Be flexible, be open, and listen to the wisdom of those who are experiencing this.

Strongly consider renting separate housing rather than “living in”. “Living in” can be extremely stressful for hosts and guests. Guests are traumatized, hosts are eager. Both need their space. Cultural practices may be different.

Ask the broader church or community for assistance to locate adequate rental housing. Be sure you have a rental agreement that is written, agreed to and signed by all parties.

After evacuees arrive, share responsibilities among at least 4 or 5 persons– see “It Takes a Community” above for ideas.

Find your best listeners and assign them to do just that—listen to evacuees and hosting constituents.

Assign persons to accompany evacuees, if needed, to social service agencies and government agencies.

Be particularly alert to service providers who might demean adult evacuees by treating them as children. Let them select what they need from you. Offer a menu.

Don’t push a job search until evacuees are feeling safe, secure, and able. Assist in due time and as appropriate.

The relationship between host and evacuee should be in writing. Church World Service has an application for both. Use that, or develop your own. Get the PDF files below.

Do not expect the evacuees to be United Methodist. Find out if they would like to attend their faith services, invite them to your church, respect them if they do not want to attend church at all. Realize they may be having serious questions about their faith, and that church services can be emotional and they may not be ready for that.

Be flexible and open. This is a humanitarian response, the goal isn’t to find new members or best friends for your congregations. While it would be wonderful, it is not the goal.

UMCOR is not processing referrals for evacuee resettlement at this time. When the long-term recovery offices of the affected annual conferences are established, this kind of referral may be an option.

If you are in an annual conference located in an area receiving large numbers of evacuees into shelters, collaborate with those shelters. Perhaps you could organize the referral process. Maybe they have one already.