wfn.org | CWS COORDINATES RESPONSE TO STORMS

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

CWS Coordinates Response to Storms
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contact: Wendy S. McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Internet: news@ncccusa.org

91NCC9/10/98               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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EDITORS: When listing organizations receiving funds for 
humanitarian response to the 1998 tropical storms and 
hurricanes, please include:  CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, 
Attn. Tropical Storms/Hurricanes 1998, #976233, P.O. 
Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  Phone pledges or credit 
card donations: 1-800-762-0968.

CWS works in more than 70 countries, including the 
U.S., in disaster relief, human development and refugee 
assistance.  It is a ministry of the National Council 
of Churches, the nation's preeminent ecumenical 
organization, which includes 34 Protestant and Orthodox 
member communions with a combined membership of nearly 
52 million.
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CWS COORDINATES FAITH-BASED RESPONSE TO TEXAS, N.C. 
STORMS

 NEW YORK, September 10 ---- Church World Service 
is supporting faith-based recovery work already 
underway following severe storms in Texas and North 
Carolina.

 CWS has already sent some 300 health and cleanup 
kits to Del Rio, Texas, following floods there from 
Tropical Storm Charley that killed at least two dozen 
people and seriously damaged the economically depressed 
border community.  CWS is seeking $100,000 from its 
member communions to assist faith-based, long-term 
recovery efforts in Del Rio and to support faith-based 
community efforts in North Carolina.

 Extensive human suffering was wrought by Charley 
in Texas.  The death toll might rise to nearly 50 
people, reports Texas-based CWS Regional Facilitator 
Norman Hein of Lutheran Disaster Response.  Moreover, 
Del Rio is an economically depressed area, and the 
flooding hit low-income areas particularly hard, with 
mobile homes and rental units sustaining the worst 
damage.  "There are going to be a lot of unmet needs," 
Mr. Hein explained.  "Del Rio is a very poor community 
and it doesn't have a lot of resources by itself."

 The faith community, working under the umbrella 
group "Del Rio Recovers" will be an active participant 
in a local unmet needs committee, Mr. Hein said.  
Immediate needs in Del Rio include pastoral care and 
case management (in Spanish and English) as well as 
rebuilding in low-income areas.  The religious 
community is being asked to bring work crews to Del Rio 
during the next year.  "The task of recovery will not 
be completed in one weekend," Mr. Hein said.

 In North Carolina, economic losses may reach $2 
billion from Hurricane Bonnie.  CWS Regional 
Facilitator Charles Moeller is assessing the situation.  
North Carolina Interfaith has requested $10,000 from 
CWS to assist individual interfaith groups in their 
recovery efforts.
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