wfn.org | ABCUSA: American Baptists Provide Funding in Wake of Hurricane Charley

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 8/24/04)--A total of $17,500
in emergency funds has been released by American Baptist Churches USA to aid
relief efforts in Florida and Cuba following the devastation brought by
Hurricane Charley earlier this month.

Ken George, National Ministries' coordinator of National Disaster Response,
announced last week that $10,000 in One Great Hour of Sharing undesignated
disaster funds has been sent to Church World Service to aid in a variety of
emergency services CWS is coordinating in Florida. An initial emergency
appeal was issued by CWS for $100,000 to assist members of communities
already vulnerable before the disaster and to focus on all areas of Florida
affected by the hurricane. "This recovery is going to take years," said CWS
Emergency Response Program staff member Melina Pavlides. "We need to champion
the cause of communities where other groups are not going."

Another $7,500 in One Great Hour of Sharing emergency funds has been sent by
the American Baptist Churches USA World Relief Office for use by the
Fraternity of Baptist Churches of Cuba, whose congregations in Bauta and
elsewhere were severely affected.  According to Manolo Delgado of the
Fraternity of Baptist Churches of Cuba, crops and utility lines sustained
much damage.  "But the most impressive thing was the destruction of people's
homes," he said.  "The roofs were torn off houses and there were homes that
were completely destroyed.  This was caused by the straight line winds and
the trees that had been uprooted and felled." 

CWS has sent 1,600 "Gift of the Heart" Health Kits and 100 cleaning kits to
Agencia de Servicios Sociales Pentecostales (ASSPEN) - the Pentecostal Social
Service Agency - in Orlando.  ASSPEN has been a CWS partner in emergencies in
Puerto Rico. The total value of the kits is $22,645.

George explained that "the funds we have released were available from the
undesignated contributions of American Baptist congregations to the One Great
Hour of Sharing offering. Because American Baptists have given faithfully and
generously, we can respond more quickly to needs following disasters like
Hurricane Charley."
	
American Baptists wishing to support relief efforts in response to Hurricane
Charley can do so through their church's monthly report of mission support,
designating contributions either "Hurricane Charley Relief - Florida" or
"Hurricane Charley Relief - Cuba."  Those wishing to contribute online can do
so by accessing the "American Baptist Missions" or "Give Now" pages of the
ABCUSA Web site -- www.abc-usa.org - again designating where their
contributions should go.

K/2004ABNS/04ABN97

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org