Disaster Child Care volunteers start work, Brethren begin clean-up project.

The Brethren response to Hurricane Katrina increased in intensity as Disaster Child Care volunteers began working at shelters for survivors, a Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project started in Alabama, and Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the Church of the Brethren General Board, made a tour and assessment of needs in shelters across southern Louisiana (see story below). Shipments of relief materials continued from the Service Ministries warehouses at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Teams of Disaster Child Care volunteers are caring for children and families in seven shelters or recovery centers across the country, at the request of the American Red Cross and FEMA. In Kingwood, W.Va., a team is serving at the West Virginia Army National Guard Reserve training facility at Camp Dawson, where some 500 displaced people were expected. In Denver, Colo., child care was set up in a dorm on the campus of Lowery Air Force Base where approximately 1,000 evacuees were received. In Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., child care is being given at two FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers for survivors migrating from the Gulf States to Florida. In Los Angeles and San Bernardino, Calif., the child care was requested by the Red Cross after learning that some 168 displaced people were expected. A child care team was on its way to another shelter in Marietta, Ga., as of yesterday.

At least some of the evacuees being served by the Disaster Child Care volunteers across the country were people transferred from the Astrodome in Houston. And some of the child care volunteers were flown to response sites by Angel Flights, a nonprofit organization of pilots and private aircraft available in cases of need. All of the volunteers have undergone training to help meet the needs of children following disasters.

The Disaster Child Care staff led by coordinator Helen Stonesifer is working to fulfill more requests for child care services in shelters in North Fork, Va.; Hattiesburg, Miss.; and Brook Haven, Miss. The DCC Critical Care team--volunteers specially trained for response to aviation disasters--will begin work at Family Assistance Centers in Louisiana serving evacuees who have lost loved ones, as soon as the centers are set up, reported Winter.

"We've never had child care active in this many states before," Winter said. "It's certainly an unusual situation." He emphasized that the child care will be a longterm response, lasting well beyond the several weeks that volunteers usually have worked at previous disaster sites. Disaster Child Care is already seeking to train more volunteers for the lengthy response time expected, and may be working in partnership with Canadian Child Care to response to the unprecedented level of need following Hurricane Katrina. (See the story below for information on how to get the necessary training to volunteer.)

A Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project was started Sept. 13 in Citronelle, Ala. Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren is helping to host the project, in which groups of up to 15 volunteers at a time will clean areas of hurricane damage and do minor repairs on homes to prevent further damage, such as covering roofs with tarps. The church also is assisting with feeding and care for some 250 displaced citizens sheltering at the Citronelle United Methodist Church.

Winter warned volunteers that "the work is very different from our rebuilding projects because we don't have a local recovery group giving us referrals. Instead, volunteers will move out into communities to identify those who need our assistance," he said. "We also have to be careful not to do repairs that will change insurance settlements or FEMA evaluations."

The Southeastern District is coordinating volunteers for the first two weeks of the project and providing a tool trailer for all groups to use, and Winter called for more Brethren to consider volunteering for what will be a longterm project. (See the story below for information on how to volunteer.) "This is a good partnership between the district and the Emergency Response program working together," he said. "We rejoice when we can partner with local churches or districts. As evacuees are being supported by groups in many states, we are open to additional ways the Emergency Response volunteers or the Emergency Disaster Fund can support church response efforts."

In news of other Brethren responses to the hurricane, the 29th annual Brethren Disaster Relief Auction of Atlantic Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania Districts features an ambitious project to assemble and pack 20,000 Gift of the Heart Health Kits and School Kits onsite. The auction will be held at the Lebanon (Pa.) Expo and Fairgrounds on Sept. 23-24. Value of the kits will be in excess of $100,000. Winter plans to be present for another ambitious project as volunteers build a modular home for Brethren Disaster Response, also onsite. The auction raises money for the two districts' TURF Fund (The United Relief Fund) and the Emergency Disaster Fund of the General Board. All proceeds from the Theme Basket Auction and the Quilt Auction will be earmarked for hurricane relief. Also featured will be auctions of heifers and livestock, a Farmer's Market, the sale of arts and crafts, and lots of food.

For more information about the Church of the Brethren response to Hurricane Katrina, see www.brethrendisasterresponse.org, click on "Responding to Hurricane Katrina." For more information about Disaster Child Care go to www.disasterchildcare.org. For more information about the Brethren Disaster Auction call Duane Ness, chair, at 717-840-8400 or go to www.brethrenauction.org.

Source: 9/14/2005 Newsline
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