Denominations Pledge Long Term Support to Rebuilding Gulf Coast
Some of America’s largest denominations plan spread the hundreds of millions of dollars collected for Hurricane Katrina relief over a span of seven years.
Some of America’s largest denominations are switching to long-term recovery mode in the Gulf Coast with plans to spread the hundreds of millions of dollars collected for Hurricane Katrina relief over a span of seven years.
At an Apr. 3-6 meeting, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries approved a plan to be involved in Gulf Coast Hurricane recovery work at least until 2012. A similar seven-year plan was also approved by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.’s disaster assistance ministry earlier this month.
Donations through Christian denominations and ministries reached record highs following the devastating slate of hurricanes across the Gulf Shore last year. As of February, however, most denominations only used a small fraction of the donated funds, reserving most for longer term efforts.
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As of February, the denomination spent $4.5 million for relief with another $4 million designated for pastoral support and church rebuilding – only a third of the $23 million total collected for hurricane relief.
Similarly, UMCOR used only $6.5 million of the $63.8 million raised for hurricane assistance through February.
According to Bishop Edward Paup, president of UMCOR’s board of directors, the agency has nearly completed the “relief phase” of its operations on the Gulf Coast. It will be shifting to “recovery phase” on Apr. 17 and will likely continue until January 2012.
Such recovery efforts include three types of assistance – direct aid, family problem-solving, and rebuilding.
UMCOR is also the lead agency in Katrina – Aid Today, a $66 million initiative sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency – and is training 3,000 professional staff and volunteers who will assist 100,000 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. UMCOR is working with other denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, to bring the project to fruition.
