Title: Lutheran Disaster Response Oversees Funding for Hurricane Relief ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 31, 2006
Lutheran Disaster Response Oversees Funding for Hurricane Relief 06-074-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to Hurricane Katrina Lutherans from across the United States and around the world have contributed $24.4 million to date. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is overseeing the expenditure of the contributions that are supporting recovery work along the U.S. Gulf Coast and among people displaced from their hurricane-damaged homes.
The 2005 and 2006 budgets developed to invest the gifts were built to meet LDR's core components of response, said Heather L. Feltman, LDR executive director and director of ELCA Domestic Disaster Response. LDR's response involves assistance to people displaced from their homes, emotional and spiritual support for those affected by disaster and care for caregivers, coordination of volunteers and long-term recovery response, and distribution of hardship grants for survivors of disasters who need assistance in covering immediate expenses.
To help carry out its core components, LDR operates with a network of Lutheran social ministry organizations across the country, said Feltman. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, LDR provided more than $7.2 million to Lutheran services and agencies working directly with hurricane survivors, many of whom were relocated to other parts of the country. Recipients of the $7.2 million were: + Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Inc., Tucson, Ariz., $314,428 + Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, Concord, $300,000 + Lutheran Family Services of Colorado, Denver, $375,726 + Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, Raleigh, N.C., $500,726 + Lutheran Social Services of Nevada, Las Vegas, $87,000 + Lutheran Social Services of Georgia, Inc., Atlanta, $247,236 + Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Des Plaines, $34,000 + Lutheran-Episcopal Services of Mississippi, Jackson, $207,000 + Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, Fairfax, Va., $150,000 + Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri, St. Louis, (overseeing LDR response in Alabama), $500,000 + Refugee Services of Texas, Inc., Dallas, $39,750 + Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc., Austin, Texas, (overseeing LDR response in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas), $2,906,393 + Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri, St. Louis, $735,000 + Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Burien, Wash., $18,400 + Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, $14,349 + Lutheran Services of Florida, Inc., Tampa, $200,000 + Lutheran Family Services of Virginia, Inc., Roanoke, $25,000 + Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, Detroit, $425,726 + Lutheran Community Services of Southern New England, Wellesley, Mass., $74,569 + Lutheran Social Services of New York, New York, $50,000
"LDR created a 'Request for Proposal' process for its affiliates" to receive funds, said Feltman. A granting committee comprised of staff from ELCA Church in Society, LDR and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) reviewed each proposal, she said. "Our Lutheran social ministry organizations have served an important role in identifying evacuees in their communities and facilitating a process to assist them with their needs," she said. LIRS, Baltimore, is a cooperative agency of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
In addition to the more than $7.2 million, LDR allocated another $2.15 million in 2005 to support the work of its affiliates, which are engaged in the work of LDR, said Feltman. Recipients of the $2.15 million were Lutheran Social Services of the South (for Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas), Lutheran- Episcopal Services of Mississippi, Lutheran Services of Florida, Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri (for Alabama) and Lutheran Social Services of South Central Pennsylvania, York. Lutheran Social Services of South Central Pennsylvania has supported the LDR response in Mississippi.
Within the first 60 to 90 days after a disaster strikes, LDR distributes hardship grants to help displaced people meet immediate expenses, said Feltman. LDR distributed about $1 million in hardship grants for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, she said. Individuals applied for financial assistance regardless of their religious affiliation. On average, grants ranged from $300 to $500 per individual for immediate expenses such as housing, transportation, child care, food, utilities and other costs. LDR provided $392,600 in hardship grants to Lutheran Social Services of the South, for example, and another $259,600 for shelter needs, said Feltman. LDR paid close attention to people who were most vulnerable, including elderly and people with physical and mental disabilities, she said.
LDR also strives to serve survivors of Hurricane Katrina through ecumenical partnerships and participation in the work of other disaster response organizations. It allocated a total of $291,948 to ecumenical and disaster response partners soon after the hurricane. Recipients of the $291,948 were: + Church World Service, $30,000 + Disaster News Network, Columbia, Md., $15,000 + Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Baltimore, $50,000 + Lutheran Counseling Services, Winter Park, Fla., $21,948 + New York Disaster Interfaith Services, New York, $25,000 + The Interfaith Education Fund, Austin, Texas, $75,000 + PICO National Network, Oakland, Calif., $75,000
"The Interfaith Education Fund and the PICO National Network allowed LDR to support community organizing," said Feltman. "The Fund and Network made sure that the voices not being heard at various decision-making tables were represented and heard," she said.
LDR moves into long-term response
In 2006 LDR moved into "long-term" disaster response, continuing to support its Lutheran affiliates, ecumenical partners and disaster response organizations in meeting the needs of survivors and managing hurricane recovery work. Work in the long-term recovery phase includes providing building materials to rebuild homes, securing warehouse space to store supplies, housing for volunteers, and providing spiritual and emotional care for disaster survivors and care givers, said Feltman.
This year LDR provided a total of $162,000 to: + The Interfaith Education Fund, $75,000 + Church World Service, $50,000 + National Council of Churches USA, New York, $25,000 + Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Baton Rouge, $10,000 + Disaster News Network, $2,000
More than $2.67 million was distributed this year to LDR's affiliates -- Lutheran Social Services of the South (for Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas), Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri (for Alabama) and Lutheran-Episcopal Services of Mississippi.
Another expenditure of $6.25 million in 2006 has been approved for Lutheran Social Services of the South (for Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas), Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri (for Alabama) and Lutheran Services of Florida.
In the 16 months after Hurricane Katrina, LDR will have expended more than $18 million in meeting the needs of survivors and rebuilding the U.S. Gulf Coast, said Feltman. The remaining funds from the $24.4 million contributed will help fund LDR's work toward Hurricane Katrina relief in 2007 and beyond, she said.
Federal funds granted to faith-based disaster response organizations
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has granted funds to faith-based disaster response organizations that service the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors. Feltman said the funds are contributions from countries overseas given to the U.S. government.
"The project is called Katrina Aid Today, and it allows us to further our work in responding to evacuees from Katrina, to walk along with them, to be an advocate and ask, 'How do you want to rebuild your life?' And it allows us to carry out our mission of hope and healing, a piece that we're so committee to," she said.
Feltman said Katrina Aid Today is a national consortium of social service and volunteer organizations. LDR received more than $6.7 million to conduct case management services, which she described as a process to point hurricane survivors in the direction of receiving resources to rebuild homes and lives.
Disaster Response volunteers
Since Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast, Lutheran Disaster Response has documented about 500,000 volunteer work hours. As many as 15,000 volunteers worked in the Gulf Coast area from September 2005 to January 2006. LDR received 2,500 offers for support from volunteers in the first week after the hurricane. LDR identified and sent 200 search and rescue professionals to the Gulf Coast area immediately after Hurricane Katrina bore down on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Fifteen Lutheran churches housed volunteers there.
During the 2006 spring break, about 1,100 college and university students -- representing 55 colleges and universities across the country -- volunteered their time to muck out houses and apartment buildings and remove debris from beaches, parks and neighborhoods under the "What a Relief!" effort organized by LDR.
"Undeclared" disasters
LDR is committed also to providing financial resources toward natural disasters that went "undeclared," said Feltman. "Undesignated money (collected) allows us to respond to small- scale disasters, as well as help people prepare for future disasters," she said. In 2005 almost $2 million in undesignated contributions from members of the church went to disasters that were not well-known, Feltman said. From undesignated contributions, LDR provided $200,000 to support the work of Lutheran Services of Florida, which is coordinating relief work in Florida following Hurricane Wilma. - - - DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include: ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764 Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522 Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/katrina
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog