Gulf Coast Hurricane Update

This page is from the United Church of Christ website
http://www.ucc.org/disaster/u091905.htm

Sept. 15, 2005

The United Church of Christ is actively responding to the destruction and human suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that followed. UCC leaders announced September 6, 2005 the goal of raising $3 million from members and congregations to support long-term hurricane relief, recovery and rehabilitation phases of this disaster. A 5-10 year response is projected based on past experience and the magnitude of this catastrophe.

UCC congregations are hosting evacuees and assisting them in resettling in new communities; pastors and lay leaders of New Orleans area congregations are reaching out to one another and beginning to plan for their future; Back Bay Mission and Dillard University are working diligently to re-establish their community and educational ministries.

The major role of the church in this disaster, as in all disasters, is long-term recovery. The UCC has trained Disaster Network Coordinators and Church World Service (CWS) staff who are working with devastated communities to organize, identify and meet the "un-met" needs of their communities - to catch the folks who might otherwise fall through the cracks. The UCC promises to walk with disastered communities on the long, long road to restoration.

100% of each gift made to the Hope Shall Bloom - UCC Hurricane Recovery Fund goes to support hurricane recovery programming. This is possible because church member's gifts to Our Church's Wider Mission basic support provide for the infrastructure necessary to enable the UCC disaster response.

One Great Hour of Sharing funds ($25,000) were immediately made available to begin the UCC response. Over $400,000 has been received to date for the Hope Shall Bloom-UCC Hurricane Recovery Fund. The following disbursements have been made:

$25,000 - Church World Service, to support distribution of blankets, health kits, and deployment of Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons

$15,000 - UCC South Central Conference to meet emergency needs; provide grants to UCC clergy families who have been displaced and lost homes & income sources

$60,000 - Community of Faith Church of Houston (UCC/Disciple) - Amistad Resettlement Project,to assist in paying resettlement cost (two months housing; food and clothing allowance for 78 evacuated families who have been identified to participate in long-term resettlement project

$15,000 - UCC Southeast Conference to meet emergency needs; feeding evacuees in Atlanta through the Hosea Williams Feeding Program (at the request of Ambassador Andrew Young)

$20,000 - UCC Back Bay Mission, Biloxi, Mississippi to re-establish mission site for emergency relief and long-term recovery and rebuilding

$5,000 - Purchase of two Iridium satellite phones and service for use by
Back Bay Mission staff as long as normal land-line and cell phone communications are disrupted

$5,000 - UCC related Dillard University, New Orleans to repair damage to campus

$10,000 - UCC National Disaster Ministries and Church World Service for research, production and dissemination of environmental hazards/protection information related to Hurricane Katrina

$(amount pending) - UCC South Central Conference, Good Shepherd UCC, Metairie, Louisiana to prepare church building to serve as site for evacuee/returnee housing/hospitality and long-term mission trip base camp

How you can help:

1. Pray for the people who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina and all disasters.

2. To help those affected by Hurricane Katrina you may send gifts payable to FCCW marked for "Hope Shall Bloom-UCC Hurricane Recovery Fund."