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Hurricane Rita: UMCOR's Initial Response

As Hurricane Rita churned across the Gulf of Mexico UMCOR workers were in the Gulf region planning a range of responses. The 17th named storm of the 2005 season, Rita promised to be as powerful as Katrina, the hurricane that devastated a three-state area on Aug. 29, 2005. UMCOR plans include empowering survivors of both storms with comfort, tools, and other assistance.

Hurricane Readiness

  • Listen to local emergency authorities and follow their advisories
  • Have three days' food and water and extra batteries on hand
  • Have a plan to contact the most vulnerable members of your congregation to ensure their safety

Be a Good Neighbor

Before, during and after a storm the size of these hurricanes, you and your neighbors may rely on one another more than usual. You can be a good neighbor by recognizing that you can establish remarkable connections which may not be possible in ordinary times. Be open and flexible. Keep one another in thoughts and prayers.

volunteer offering dessert to New Orlean evacuees

NOAA satellite image of Hurricane Rita taken at 4:45 p.m. EDT on September 21, 2005, as the extremely dangerous hurricane churns in the Gulf of Mexico with maximum sustained winds of near 165 mph. Hurricane Rita strengthened on Wednesday into a powerful, intensely dangerous Category 5 storm as it headed toward the Texas coast and prompted evacuation orders for more than a million people. REUTERS/ NOAA Credit: REUTERS/ NOAA. Courtesy of www.alertnet.org

How You Can Help

Give:

Your generous gift to UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005 will help those affected by this year’s hurricanes. If you would like your donation to go to those affected by a specific hurricane or a specific region, please note that in the memo line of your check.

You can give online, 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.

Send:

There is an urgent need for both health kits and school kits. These collections of everyday items will provide displaced families with some basic necessities. 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 recovery throughout the gulf region. To find out how you can help with hurricane cleanup, contact your United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Jurisdictional Coordinator. 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.