Church of the Brethren Newsline
July 13, 2007
Ten recent grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund and the Global Food Crisis Fund total $126,500. The grants support work in Indonesia following flooding, New Orleans rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, the Foods Resource Bank, areas in China affected by an earthquake, the northeast US following storms, children in Mozambique, the African Initiative of Church World Service (CWS), and the area of Greensburg, Kan., which was devastated by a tornado. Both funds are ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
A grant of $40,000 from the Global Food Crisis Fund continues support for the Africa Initiative launched by CWS in 2004. The four-year program develops innovative and sustainable strategies in the areas of hunger and poverty relief, solutions for the displaced, work against HIV and AIDS, peace building, and water for life. The grant will support ongoing work especially in the area of hunger and poverty relief, and water for life.
The Emergency Disaster Fund has given two grants to flood response in Indonesia. A grant of $29,000 responds to a CWS appeal for the North Sumatra Province, where many people remain in camps six months after the flooding, supporting the distribution of health kits and longterm activities to supply water, sanitation, and shelter. A second grant of $7,500 responds to flooding in Manggarai District, where the money will help provide relief to 595 households in two phases: a “crisis phase” in which health kits, blankets, and high-energy biscuits are distributed, and a “post-crisis phase” in which CWS provides tools, seed, water, and disaster preparedness training.
An allocation of $10,000 from the Global Food Crisis Fund supports a CWS appeal for water projects in the Aceh province of Indonesia. The money will help clean wells and tank water to distribution points, as well as install water purification units and construct latrines.
A grant of $10,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund is going to the St. Joseph Rebuild Center in New Orleans, La. The allocation will support the opening of the center at St. Joseph’s Church to help meet the needs of migrant day laborers and others who are homeless.
A $10,000 allocation from the Global Food Crisis Fund is giving operational support to the Foods Resource Bank.
An allocation of $7,500 from the Emergency Disaster Fund responds to a CWS appeal following a large earthquake in China’s Yunan province. The funds will support relief and recovery efforts, including the rebuilding of homes, irrigation systems, and schools, and distribution of rice, quilts, and plastic sheeting for tents.
A $5,000 grant from the Emergency Disaster Fund responds to a CWS appeal following flooding and tornados on the east coast and the northeast of the United States. The funds help support deployment of Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons emergency shipments.
A grant of $5,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund supports the work of Eden Valley Church of the Brethren, which has set up a recovery committee to address needs of tornado survivors in their county. The county is in the area affected by a set of powerful tornados that also destroyed the town of Greensburg, Kan. The funds will provide building materials for those needing assistance.
The sum of $2,500 from the Emergency Disaster Fund responds to a CWS appeal for a child-focused campaign to benefit the families of children most affected when an arsenal of obsolete munitions exploded in Maputo, Mozambique. With more than 100 people dead and 400 injured, funds will support an estimated 60 children and their families who have been rendered disabled, or whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.
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The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Jon Kobel contributed to this report. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by e-mail go to http://listserver.emountain.net/mailman/listinfo/newsline. Submit news to the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. For more Church of the Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine; call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.