(June 26, 2007) — Brethren Disaster Ministries (formerly Brethren Disaster Response) is making a difference following Hurricane Katrina, reports coordinator Jane Yount. In a recent report, she released figures for the number of volunteers, work days, and homes that have been repaired or rebuilt by this program of the Church of the Brethren General Board, following the disastrous hurricane in the Gulf Coast region.
“Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall nearly two years ago, Brethren Disaster Ministries has been actively involved with longterm recovery. Putting their faith into action, volunteers are making the difference!” Yount reported.
She release the following summary for the four current repair and rebuilding sites, as of May 31:
- In Lucedale, Miss., 744 volunteers have given 4,577 workdays, repairing and rebuilding homes for 79 families.
- In Pearl River, La., 330 volunteers have donated 2,271 workdays, completing major repairs to 10 homes thus far.
- In McComb, Miss., 214 volunteers have served for 1,265 workdays, helping 36 families with cleanup and repairs.
- In Chalmette, La., 116 volunteers have shared their time and skills for 1,324 workdays, assisting 23 families in this hard-hit area.
“Our work at the two Mississippi projects has been nearly accomplished,” Yount added. “We will be shutting down the Lucedale project at the end of June and the McComb project in early August. Our warmest thanks to all for making these projects possible!”
In other news from the church’s disaster response programs, Material Resources (formerly Service Ministries) recently made the following shipments: an airlift on behalf of Church World Service (CWS) of 23 cartons of health kits to Montgomery, Ala., for tornado and flood survivors; 45 emergency cleanup buckets to flood and tornado survivors in Savannah, Mo., on behalf of CWS; two containers of health kits, toothpaste, and blankets to Bolivia for CWS; a shipment of 374 bales of quilts to Armenia, for Lutheran World Relief and IOCC; and a 40-foot-high cube container holding 36,704 pounds of donated medical supplies and equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo, for Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA).
Donations of kits also were picked up from Maine to Virginia during several weeks on behalf of Material Resources by Ken Bragg and Max Price–the trucks traveled 4,210 miles picking up 63,978 pounds of kits.
The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Loretta Wolf and Jane Yount 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.