Disaster grants aid refugee ministry in Illinois and projects in Bosnia and American Samoa.

Allocations from the Church of the Brethren General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund have been approved to support immigration and refugee services in Illinois, continued rebuilding following the war in Bosnia, and recovery from storm damage in the US Territory island of American Samoa.

A grant of $9,000 will go to Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries of Illinois, serving the needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in the Chicago area. The funds will be used for a Women's Empowerment Program that includes mentorship, English language training, and a sewing cooperative among its services.

An allocation of $8,000 responds to a Church World Service (CWS) appeal for aid to Bosnia. Years after the war there, many people are still displaced from their homes and living in poverty. The funds will help build shelters for 55 families and assist with developing sustainable incomes.

In American Samoa, one of the Polynesian islands hit by Cyclone Heta in early January, a grant of $5,000 will help long-term recovery. The slow-moving storm destroyed 600 homes with 1,000 others suffering major damage. Food crops were leveled and the island's infrastructure was damaged including electricity and water resources, telecommunications, hospitals, and schools.

Source: Newsline 2/20/2004
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