wfn.org | United Church Launches Emergency Appeal for Haiti

["Broadhurst, Tom" <tbroadhu@united-church.ca>]

For Immediate Release -- Thursday, January 14, 2010

United Church Launches Emergency Appeal for Haiti
	
Toronto: The United Church of Canada announced today that  it is launching an emergency appeal asking its congreg ations for donations designated for earthquake relief and  reconstruction in Haiti.
	
"People see a need, and have a desire, to reach out  as brothers and sisters in Christ to show compassion  to those in dire need," says The United Church of  Canada's Moderator, Mardi Tindal. "As one part of God's  world suffers, we all suffer."

The United Church's Haiti Appeal will enable global partn ers in the region to address both the need for immedi ate relief and for long-term reconstruction following the  devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday, Jan uary 12, 2010.
Funds raised through this emergency appeal will be channe lled through the United Church's partners in Haiti and  through Action by Churches Together (ACT), the network of  churches and Christian aid agencies that enables global  responses to emergencies.

Members of ACT are already in place in Haiti, assisting  those affected by the earthquake. The United Church's  partners in the region are The Methodist Church of Hait i and The Karl Lévêque Cultural Institute (ICKL).

"We rejoice at news this morning that ministers of the  Methodist Church are safe," said Jim Hodgson, the Unit ed Church's program coordinator for the Caribbean region.  "But the same message contained the news that three  visitors from the United Methodist Church in the United  States are missing. Our prayers are with the people  of Haiti and with those who work alongside them in so lidarity."

In addition to launching this emergency appeal, the Unite d Church has also immediately committed $20,000 for Haiti an relief and reconstruction from its Emergency Response  Fund (ERF). The United Church is exploring further option s to respond to the crisis in Haiti in collaboration  with other Canadian churches to take advantage of matchin g funds from CIDA that may be offered.

The Emergency Response Fund is used to help alleviate t he effects of humanitarian crises caused by nature, human  action, or a combination of both. The fund is replen ished annually from the Mission and Service Fund and me mber donations. Fifteen percent of all donations received  and intended for emergency relief, reconstruction, and r ehabilitation are deposited into this fund for use in f uture emergencies that do not receive intensive media cov erage. The remaining 85 percent of the monies received  are directed as designated by the donor.

It is important to note that unlike many charities, and  thanks to regular donations to the Mission and Service  Fund, the United Church is able to absorb the staffi ng and administration costs of processing donations wheneve r an emergency appeal is launched. Therefore donors can  be assured that there are no administrative charges de ducted from donations received.

Individuals are invited to contribute to the United Churc h's Haiti Appeal either through their local congregation  or directly to The United Church of Canada's national o ffice, 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M8X  2Y4. Cheques should be made payable to The United Ch urch of Canada and marked "Haiti Appeal." Online donation s can be made at www.united-church.ca. Choose "Emergency  Response" and specify "Haiti Appeal."

Donations made by United Church members and congregations  to the Haiti Appeal are considered "over and above"  gifts to the United Church's wider work, so they are  not recorded as part of a congregation's Mission and Se rvice Fund giving. But they are eligible for tax receip ts. Congregational treasurers may receive and receipt indiv idual cheques and then forward one congregational cheque  to the United Church, attention "Haiti Appeal."

Information about the United Church's Haiti Appeal has be en posted on the United Church's website (www.united-church .ca) and will be updated as new information becomes ava ilable.

>For more information, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis

Program Coordinator, Media and Public Relations
The United Church of Canada
Tel: 416-231-7680 ext. 2016
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016
E-mail: mdenis@united-church.ca

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