wfn.org | UCC Relief Funds Disbursed to Assist in Hurricane Recovery

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

 UCC Relief Funds Disbursed to Assist in Hurricane Recovery

Susan M. Sanders
United Church of Christ - Wider Church Ministries
Minister and Team Leader for Global Sharing of Resources
One Great Hour of Sharing Administrator
216-736-3210 phone
216-736-2294 fax
sanderss@ucc.org

Tuesday, 30 August 2005

One Great Hour of Sharing has sent $25,000 to Church World Service and 
pledged an initial $5,000 to Back Bay Mission to aid in relief and recovery 
efforts following Hurricane Katrina.

CWS anticipates deploying as many as 11 Disaster Response and Recovery 
Liaisons (DRRLs) to hurricane-affected areas and supporting some 20 local 
interfaith recovery groups in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee 
and Kentucky. DRRLs are also meeting with FEMA to identify material 
resource needs that CWS can address through Gift of the Heart kits and its 
blanket program, as well as facilitate long-term recovery assistance to 
vulnerable populations that will face unmet needs.

Katrina has left a wide path of devastation across the Gulf South. Hundreds 
of thousands of homes are without electricity. Tens of thousands of homes 
have been flooded, many of them destroyed. Much of the city of New Orleans 
remains evacuated. At least 54 people are reported killed in Harrison 
County, MS alone, where Back Bay Mission is located. Several cities along 
Mississippi's Gulf Coast have been devastated.

One Great Hour of Sharing has yet to receive word of the impact on United 
Church of Christ congregations, health and human service agencies and 
colleges.  South Central and Southeast Conference staffs  are attempting to 
make these contacts.  We are in regular contact with Conference offices and 
will make emergency grants from One Great Hour of Sharing available as 
needed.

Shari Prestemon, Executive Director of Back Bay Mission reports from Selma, 
Alabama that she is, "very concerned about the whereabouts of staff, 
friends and clients of the Mission."  Some Back Bay Mission staff evacuated 
safely, while the whereabouts of other staff is unknown.  No telephones in 
the 228 area code are functioning.  As yet there is no information on the 
status of Mission or personal staff properties. East Biloxi, where the 
Mission is located, is one of the hardest hit areas.	It may be several 
days before BBM staff can return to assess the situation at the Mission and 
their own homes.

"Back Bay Mission is committed to doing everything we can to assist in the 
emergency and recovery phases of this disaster," says Prestemon.   There 
will eventually be a need for volunteers at Back Bay.  However, staff needs 
first to return to Biloxi and make assessments.  Individuals and groups 
wishing to receive information about future volunteer needs for Back Bay 
Mission should send an e-mail to Mary Schaller Blaufuss, UCC Executive for 
Volunteer Ministries at:  blaufussm@ucc.org