Mississippi Response to Katrina

Greetings from Mississippi,

My name is Chris Bowers and I have been hired by the Mississippi Conference to help coordinate UMCOR volunteer efforts for Katrina relief. Our Call Center is located in Meridian, Ms. and we have been up and running for about 4 weeks. Thus far we have scheduled and assigned approximately 4000 volunteers to work in affected areas over the next few months from around the country and we are beginning to put in place an organizational structure to facilitate the long term recovery needs of the region. The response has been amazing and we feel so blessed to be part of the United Methodist Church with its connectional system.

Please know that we are here Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, to answer questions and help schedule teams. You can always email our office (disastercenter@meridianumc.org) or call our toll free number (866) 435-7091.

Mississippi residents affected by Katrina need an enormous amount of help. The United Methodist Church, in accord with the best of Christian tradition, has a long history of providing relief and recovery for those most in need, and we are excited about being a part of this response.

Peace and Grace,

Chris Bowers
Director of Volunteers, Mississippi Conference Disaster Response
Tel 866-435-7091
Fax: 601-486-4248

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