February 10, 2005

CHICAGO – Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, continues to help survivors recover from four hurricanes that struck the Caribbean, eastern and southern parts of the United States last year, and it continues to organize recovery operations in states affected by flooding and snow storms this winter.

Response to a disaster is often carried out by a local team providing emergency supplies, offering pastoral care and counseling, coordinating volunteer efforts in cleanup and rebuilding, and providing grants to survivors of disasters. This response is often coordinated with other interfaith and community efforts.

According to Heather L. Feltman, director for LDR and ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, recovery following Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne "is the largest FEMA disaster response in the history of our nation, larger than" the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Lutheran Disaster Response teams are deployed in over a dozen eastern and southern states, helping [people] affected by the four hurricanes we experienced this past summer," said Feltman.

"In some states, assessments are still being carried out to estimate and document the extent of damage to communities and to determine the needs" of survivors, she said. "Long-term recovery committees are being formed and volunteers are being [called] to help families remove debris and damaged materials from their homes."

"Volunteers and monetary donations are critically important to enable us to carry out the mission of Lutheran Disaster Response. This response effort will continue for months to come," Feltman said.

"Relief work in the South and up to Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York from the hurricanes continues to be clean up, debris removal and short-term maintenance, making houses livable, and helping people relocate to temporary FEMA housing," said Johanna Olson, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response.

"Major construction is just beginning," said Olson, especially in "places where recovery is further ahead, like certain parts of Florida. Through [LDR and ELCA Domestic Disaster Response] affiliated social ministry organizations and partners, we're providing volunteer coordination, emotional and spiritual care, short-term unmet needs such as paying heating and other utility bills, minor construction costs, replacing damaged water heaters, cleaning homes, case management and counseling services. Camp Noah, a weeklong day camp for children who survived disaster, is also being organized for this summer," Olson said.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a Minneapolis-based not-for-profit financial services organization serving the ELCA and other Lutheran church bodies, gave $345,000 to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response last month to assist with hurricane relief and recovery efforts, reported Sue Edison-Swift, associate director for interpretation, ELCA Department for Communication. The gift will help more families and individuals deal with the devastation they face and continue down the road of recovery, she said.

"Unmet needs, like modifying a house trailer to be wheelchair accessible, are financial burdens incurred as the result of a disaster that is not covered by insurance or other agencies," Edison-Swift said. "Covering unmet needs, [providing] spiritual and emotional care for care-givers and receivers, working with children through Camp Noah and a sustained, long-term response are hallmarks of Lutheran Disaster Response efforts," she said.

"Thrivent Financial for Lutherans also gave about $300,000 to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response for hurricane response as part of congregational matching grants," said Kathryn Sime, director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal.

"Members of the ELCA have contributed $1.3 million to support the hurricane response efforts of the church's Domestic Disaster Response," Sime said. "Although these hurricanes are no longer in the news, our response efforts continue in Florida, southeastern United States and Caribbean," she said.

Flooding, Snow Storms in Arizona, Minnesota, Ohio and West Virginia

"It's been difficult" in "southeastern Ohio, [which] has endured four floods in the last 12 months. Snow storms and flooding of the Ohio River and its tributaries have compounded recovery efforts to flooding [produced] by Hurricanes Frances and Ivan," said Feltman.

"Since September, 9,133 individuals and families have applied for FEMA assistance due to flooding from this past hurricane season," she said. "Households flooded by Hurricane Ivan and Frances have flooded again due to snow and rainfall last month, especially hard-hit areas are Belmont and Athens counties, where families are appealing to the government to buy out their homes," Feltman said.

"Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio is providing emotional and spiritual care to those impacted. Water has not receded in some areas, such as in Guernsey County. FEMA has halted its preliminary damage assessments due to high waters," she said.

Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio is also working in West Virginia "in response to flooding there caused by Hurricanes Ivan and Frances. LDR and ELCA Domestic Disaster Response are also working with the ELCA West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod, providing case management and volunteer coordination" and participation in local, long-term recovery organization, she said.

Heavy, sporadic flooding has affected much of Arizona, said Feltman. "Initial flooding took place in the first week of December, with heavy rains impacting the northwestern to central parts of the state. A second wave of flooding occurred the first week of January, impacting the already flooded areas and extending flooding into the eastern part of central Arizona," she said.

"Lutheran Disaster Response has responded with initial casework for families requesting emergency assistance, and [it] is coordinating work teams to provide cleanup. FEMA is running preliminary damage assessments to determine if there will be federal funds for individuals and families impacted by the flooding," said Feltman.

In Albert Lea and Austin, Minn., LDR is working with the Austin Area Interfaith Disaster Recovery Group and Southern Minnesota Interfaith Disaster Recovery Network to meet the needs of residents affected by flooding. LDR is also coordinating volunteers and administrative support for the two recovery groups, said Feltman. "Six counties have been declared to receive individual and family assistance. Roughly, 4,000 households are affected" in the Albert Lea and Austin areas, she said.

ELCA News Service