wfn.org | CWS appeals for donations and emergency kits in the wake of Ike

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

CWS appeals for donations and emergency kits in the wake of Ike

NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2008 - As residents of Gulf Coast towns in Texas 
begin to dig out from the devastation of Hurricane Ike, humanitarian 
agency Church World Service is issuing an urgent appeal for badly 
needed kits, and for donations to help purchase recovery supplies locally.

The hurricane battered a huge swath of Texas and Louisiana this 
weekend, leaving millions of people without water and power, and many 
with damaged or destroyed homes.  Though evacuation orders will not 
be lifted until today, emergency responders, including CWS staff, 
have begun assessing the situation.

CWS already had material resources pre-positioned in Texas, but the 
agency now must replenish its supplies of emergency kits--including 
hygiene kits, school kits, and baby kits--and especially emergency 
clean-up buckets.  Cash donations also are needed to assist CWS in 
its short and long-term response to survivors of Ike and other recent storms.

CWS has a history of establishing and working with long-tem recovery 
groups on the Texas coast.  The local organizations help ensure those 
with the most limited means recover from disaster. Following 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, CWS, with a grant from Habitat for 
Humanity, helped families in Texas and Louisiana to re-build.

How to Help: Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be 
made online, sent to your denomination, or to Church World Service, 
P.O. Box 968 , Elkhart , IN , 46515 . Please designate: 2008 U.S. 
Hurricanes (# 627-G).

Media Contacts

Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 24/7, (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net