wfn.org | CWS - Hurricane Charley Damages 400 Churches Temples Synagogues

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

MORE THAN 400 FLORIDA CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, TEMPLES
DAMAGED BY HURRICANE CHARLEY, SAYS CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

Global Agency Addressing State9s Most Vulnerable

CONTACTS:
Jan Dragin/New York/Boston
Phone: (781) 925-1526 - 24/7
e-mail: jdragin@gis.net

Christina Bahamonde/CWS/New York
Phone: (212) 870-2658
e-mail: cbahamonde@churchworldservice.org



*** FOR YOUR LISTINGS OF CHARITIES SUPPORTING HURRICANE VICTIMS, SEE
FUND/CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION AT END OF THIS RELEASE  ***

ORLANDO/NEW YORK - Mon 8/23- Humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS)
says it has so far found at least five migrant farmworker communities in
Central Florida severely affected by Hurricane Charley and is continuing to
assess additional affected farmworker groups. CWS has also identified some
400 mid-Florida churches, temples and synagogues damaged by the storm.

The global agency9s Domestic Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons are
focusing on assessing the needs of vulnerable populations impacted by
Charley and are assessing damages and existing resources in the area9s
spiritual community.

"The region9s migrant farm workers received a double hit," says Church World
Service (CWS) disaster response specialist and Miami resident Lesli Remaly.

"For many, their homes or shelter were damaged, and now they have no jobs."
 From a region that represents approximately one third of Florida9s citrus
output, official reports indicate much of the citrus crops across central
Florida were lost.

CWS9 Heriberto Martinez said this morning (Mon 8/23), "We9re now working
with 15 migrant farmworker agencies to develop recovery plans and determine
ways to respond to immediate needs."

Working today from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)9s Disaster
Field Office in Orlando, CWS9 Remaly added, "We are also aware of many low
income families who are in need along the Route 17 and Route 27 corridors
that run north and south through central Florida- and we9re assessing those
needs for best response."

"There is particular concern for those who were vulnerable even before
Charley," Remaly said. "So we9re determining  the immediate and long-term
recovery needs of the uninsured and the under-insured, the elderly and
disabled, those who live alone, the homeless, and such groups as migrant
farm workers, immigrants, people whose first language isn9t English, the
Seminole, Miccousukee and other native groups in impacted areas."

Global agency Church World Service is one of the first aid agencies called
by FEMA along with the Red Cross in a national disaster.

New-York based CWS responds to natural and human-caused disasters
internationally and domestically and in the U.S. specializes in working with
local faith communities, social service agencies and emergency management
partners, assisting vulnerable populations.

"Despite the destruction to buildings and infrastructure, those of our
denominational partners in  the region who are functioning  are beginning to
mobilize  in certain areas and are working directly to provide services to
those who are most in need," Remaly said.

"We9re still identifying church camps and sites that were not damaged, as
centers to house thousands of volunteers who9ve come from all over the U.S.
and who are currently staying in hotels and motels that may still be needed
to house survivors. This is just one way the faith community comes to the
frontlines in times of disaster," she says.

Remaly reports that 40 faith based organizations have stationed work teams
for the major cleanup still remaining from Hurricane Charley9s path of havoc
last weekend, "and for filing the gap in communities that are not presently
receiving assistance from other sources.

"We9re also working with the Department of Elder Affairs to address the
tremendous elderly population with medical concerns here who were seriously
impacted by the storm. Many have no home, nothing left. And that9s a crisis
for even the youngest and healthiest."

In a Florida Sun-Sentinel report yesterday (Sun 8/21), the state9s
Department of Elderly Affairs Secretary Terry White said, "What we have is a
very frail population and a serious housing issue. The impact of this is
huge."

Officials said health problems are expected to mount and specially trained
mental health experts from across the country who are there now say they
fear a mental health crisis among impacted elderly, in that less money is
available for mental health services than in previous years.

CWS9 Remaly said, "This is also a spiritual crisis. It9s key that we provide
support to the region9s impacted interfaith organizations, so that they are
able to provide the material and spiritual resources people traditionally
turn to them for."

Officials said Sunday that 25 deaths have now been attributed to Charley.
The storm has caused an estimated $7.4 billion in damage to homes,
businesses and personal possessions, topping damages from Hurricane Andrew.
According to this morning9s Associated Press reports, the Red Cross in
recent days has housed about 1,100 people in the area that stretches from
southwest Florida to near Orlando. Thousands of others are living in damaged
homes or with friends or family. 77,000 families in Florida have registered
for disaster relief.

Church World Service provides sustainable self-help and development,
disaster relief, advocacy and refugee assistance worldwide and is supported
in part by 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations.

EDITORS NOTE: Please add the following source to your listings of agencies
accepting contributions for relief assistance to victims of Hurricane
Charley:

To support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Charley through Church
World Service: phone (800) 297-1516; make a secure credit card contribution
online at www.churchworldservice.org; or send your check by mail to: Church
World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515
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