wfn.org | CWS Responds to Storms

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

Contact: Wendy S. McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Internet:  news@ncccusa.org

70NCC7/17/98                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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EDITORS: When listing organizations receiving funds for 
humanitarian response to 1998 summer storms and floods, 
please include:

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Attn. 1998 Summer Storms and 
Floods, #976232, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  Phone 
pledges or credit card donations: 1-800-762-0968.

CWS, the humanitarian response ministry of the National 
Council of Churches, works in more than 70 countries, 
including the U.S., in disaster relief, human 
development and refugee assistance.  
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CWS RESPONDS TO MASSIVE HUMAN NEEDS FROM CONTINUING STORM 
SYSTEMS

 NEW YORK, July 17 ---- Continuing storm systems in 
Iowa, New York, Vermont, Ohio, and West Virginia are 
creating massive human needs that have received little 
national news attention.

CWS, the humanitarian response ministry of the 
National Council of Churches, is seeking $125,000 from its 
member communions for development and support of 
cooperative faith-based recovery programs throughout the 
Midwest and East where flooding and tornadoes have killed 
two dozen people, affected more than 7,000 families, and 
caused multi-million dollar damage.  Iowa and Ohio have 
experienced the worst of it so far with some 6,400 
structures wind and/or water damaged.

CWS efforts are focusing on immediate cleanup needs 
of survivors and long-term recovery needs, assisted by a 
number of new faith-based organizations.  "Long-term needs 
can encompass almost anything that the Red Cross and FEMA 
can't address, from repair and rebuilding needs to 
temporary assistance with utilities and rent," explained 
Bob Arnold, Associate Director of the CWS Emergency 
Response Office.  "Faith-based recovery organizations tend 
to concentrate on volunteer coordination and casework, not 
only helping people to rebuild physically but also to deal 
with the spiritual and emotional trauma they have 
experienced."

The state-by-state responses include:

  Ohio: Twenty-six counties in Ohio have been declared 
eligible for federal or state disaster assistance.  In 
three southeastern Ohio counties alone -- Guernsey, 
Noble, and Washington --where unemployment is high and 
residents are under-insured, tornadoes and floods 
destroyed 128 homes, caused major damage to another 500, 
and affected a total of 2,518 families.  Officials 
estimate total damage at $130 million with closed roads 
in some areas hampering assessments and delaying 
recovery efforts.  
 -more-
 
 SUMMER STORMS
 70NCC7/17/98 - Page 2
 
 In southeastern Ohio, CWS Disaster Resource Consultant 
Jim Ditzler of the United Church of Christ convened 
representatives from the Ohio Council of Churches, United 
Church of Christ, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
the American Red Cross, Mennonite Disaster Service, and 
Seventh-day Adventist Church, along with local emergency 
management officials, to take initial organizational steps 
in Zanesville.  The group plans to develop an unmet needs 
committee.  Contacts: Jim Ditzler: (330)-262-3242 (H), 
(330)-264-2727 (O), (330)-263-1521 (FAX); Ellis Wykstra: 
(616)-672-5390 (H), (616)-246-0738 (O), (616)-224-0806 
(FAX), (800)-776-1960 (Pager), e-mail: 
wykstrae@crcna.org

 CWS is working with its relief commodities distribution 
partner, Adventist Community Services (ACS), to supply 
health and cleanup kits to flood survivors in eastern Ohio. 
175 CWS health kits and 50 CWS cleanup kits have been sent 
to Belle Valley to assist 175 displaced families. Another 
350 health kits and 200-300 clean-up kits are headed to 
Zanesville.  Health kits include basic hygiene items and 
clean-up kits include sponges, scrub brushes, garbage bags 
and cleansers.  Ohio donations management officials report 
health kits are still needed and may be sent directly to a 
state warehouse in Columbus which ACS is managing.  For 
further information and kit specifications, contact:  
Steve Rude, Herb Perine, Al Sands at (614)-752-520l. CWS 
is also stocking clean-up kits at an ACS warehouse at 
Thornville to meet emerging needs on an ongoing basis.  
Contact:  J.C. Smith at (614)-434-2062.
 
  Iowa: Floods and tornadoes have affected some 3,900 
structures and caused an estimated $20 million damage to 
crops.  CWS (FEMA Region VII) Disaster Response 
Facilitator Linda Reed-Brown of the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ) is facilitating meetings of 
members of the state's faith community who are exploring 
ways to cooperate in addressing flood and storm-related 
needs.  Contact: Linda Reed-Brown: (573)-474-3332 (O), 
(573)-642-9326 (H), (573)-474-6898 (FAX), e-mail: 
UMC_Creative_Ministries@ecunet.org

  New York & Vermont: In southwestern New York -- 
described as the "Appalachia" of the state -- damage 
totals at least $14 million following flooding in 
Cattaraugus, Erie, and Wyoming counties which were 
already cleaning up following tornadoes in June.  The 
President has declared the three counties along with 
Essex in northern New York eligible for disaster 
assistance.  In nearby Vermont where flooding damaged 
hundreds of homes, eight counties were declared state 
disaster areas.  In the Arcade and Gowanda, N.Y., area, 
faith-based organizations and Healthy Community Alliance 
-- a coalition of community and civic groups -- are 
launching a long-term recovery program assisted by CWS 
Regional Facilitator Joann Hale of the United Church of 
Christ.  Among other projects, the coalition plans to 
restore a local food pantry damaged in the floods.  Ms. 
Hale and Art Jackson, Massachusetts CWS Disaster 
Resource Consultant of the Christian Reformed World 
Relief Committee, are assisting the Mad River Valley 
Interfaith in developing a flood recovery program in 
Vermont.  Contacts: Joann Hale, 3331 Wallace Drive,  
Grand Island, NY 14072, (716)-773-7935 (H), (716)-
884-4800 (O), (716)-472-6668 (cellular) (716)-884-
6117 (FAX), (800)776-4660 (Pager), e-mail: 
jhale123@aol.com and Arthur R. Jackson: (508)-234-
4241 (O), (508)-234-2981 (H), (508)-873-6812 
(Cellular) (508)-234-4241 (FAX), e-mail: 
ajackson@kersur.net
 
  West Virginia: In six West Virginia counties declared 
eligible for federal disaster assistance, floods 
destroyed 228 homes -- including 168 mobile units -- and 
caused major damage to another 365.  CWS (FEMA Region 
III) Disaster Response Facilitator Shirley Norman of the 
Church of the Brethren reports "rural poor in the 
hollows were the primary people affected."   CWS sent 
200 clean-up kits to Huntington, West Virginia.  
Contacts: Shirley Norman: (724)-329-4936 (H), (724)-
329-1302 (FAX), (304)-677-4821 (Cellular), (800)-780-
0018 (Pager), e-mail: norman@hhs.net and Clark 
Peloubet: (304)-445-2833 (O), (304)-445-7814 (H), e-
mail: clark_peloubet@ecunet.org

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