wfn.org | [ENS] Hurricane relief partnership system set for dioceses,

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

September 23, 2005

Hurricane relief partnership system set for dioceses, congregations,
institutions

'HELP' web page launched to assist churchwide coordination

ENS092305-06

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal dioceses, congregations and
institutions
seeking to build companion relationships in hurricane relief are asked
to
work through a new churchwide system outlined September 22 during the
fall
meeting of the House of Bishops.
The four-phase response system -- titled "We Will Stand With You" -- has
begun under the direction of the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies,
George
Packard, who has asked that diocesan bishops serve as principal liaisons
in
the assessment and development of companion relationships.

Congregations and institutions wishing to partner with congregations in
hard-hit disaster areas are asked first to express their interest to
their
diocesan bishops, Packard said.

Development of the system and resource sharing is supported by new web
pages
available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/help. The acronym "HELP"
stands
for Hurricane Emergency Links Portal, provided by the Episcopal News
Service. Personnel have begun compiling lists of partnerships and
resources
emerging and already in place, so that an overall response map may be
readied for posting as soon as possible.

Diocesan bishops have begun to work with Packard in the first-phase
process
of inventory and assessment of both needs and resources. Bishops are
responding with completed survey forms distributed by Packard, whose
chaplaincy ministries also include support of the U.S. Armed Services.

Packard underscored the importance of the current inventory efforts: "We
know there is already on-going help deployed and connected with need in
the
affected areas; however, an accurate map of that assistance is needed"
and
will be provided online.

Under phase two, Packard, staff and bishops in the hardest-hit areas
will
begin matching needs with resources in a fully coordinated plan.
Priorities
will begin with dioceses in Louisiana and Mississippi (and potentially
other
Gulf Coast dioceses, depending upon the impact of Hurricane Rita).

Packard said phase three is the functional process of beginning
on-the-ground help, the development of financial programs indented for
moderate- to long-term rebuilding, and continuing coordination of
congregations and dioceses offering help to affected areas.

Phase four is evaluation and improvement, with ongoing monitoring
provided
by a working group that meets regularly at the Episcopal Church Center
in
New York and unites representatives of Packard's chaplaincies office,
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), Episcopal Migration Ministries
(EMM), the National Association of Episcopal Schools, the churchwide
Office
of Mission Program, and the Office of Communication.

Joining Packard in presentations to the House of Bishops were ERD
President
Rob Radtke, who reiterated the need for long-term response to hurricane
relief, as well as additional crisis-response planning churchwide. He
said
ERD had already raised nearly $5 million in new contributions since
Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29.

EMM executive director Richard Parkins also addressed the bishops,
bringing
an update of EMM work to support evacuees and resettlement (see related
ENS
stories).

All presenters emphasized the importance of ongoing financial
contributions
to ERD, which may be given online at www.er-d.org, or by mail to ERD's
bank
lockbox, P.O. Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101. Phone donations may be placed
at
800.334.7626, ext. 5129.

Inquiries about the partnership system or HELP web pages may be directed
to
staff by phoning or e-mailing the Info Desk at the Episcopal Church
Center,
Monday-Friday, 9:30am to 5pm, 800.334.7626, or info@episcopalchurch.org.

-- Reported by Bob Williams, Episcopal Church director of communication,
from the House of Bishops meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

--
To SUBSCRIBE to enslist, send a blank email message, from the address
which
you wish subscribed, to: join-enslist@epicom.org

Send QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS to news@episcopalchurch.org

The enslist is published by Episcopal News Service:
  http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ens

--