Disaster programs care for children, give grant.

"Hurricane Charley, Frances, and now Ivan. Things are happening so fast it's hard for me to give you an accurate and complete report on the current situation," wrote Helen Stonesifer in a Sept. 14 update. She coordinates Disaster Child Care for the General Board.

As Hurricane Ivan was expected to hit western Florida, two teams of child care volunteers were evacuated for a second time. Hurricane Frances caused the evacuation of three of four childcare teams at work in Florida following Hurricane Charley. Volunteers had returned to work in Kissimmee, Orlando, Englewood, and Wauchula by Sept. 8. Since the project opened Aug. 22, 31 volunteers have made contact with over 750 children. FEMA has requested additional child care volunteers to staff more centers scheduled to open as a result of Frances and Ivan.

The Emergency Disaster Fund allocated $15,000 to support the child care, fund clean up, and help establish a rebuilding project. The Disaster Response office is sending Larry Williams, a disaster project director from Frederick, Md., to Florida to evaluate areas of need for a rebuilding project. He will work with Atlantic Southeast District disaster response coordinator John Mueller to determine project sites and volunteer housing options, and to meet with other disaster programs, reported Emergency Response director Roy Winter.

Winter already is assessing the next storm to come through the Caribbean. "As Hurricane Ivan unleashes rain and destruction on gulf coast states, now hurricane Jeanne strengthened while over Puerto Rico," he said. "I have reports of a foot of rain in Puerto Rico with more coming. At this point I have not been able to reach anyone in Puerto Rico, but expect there will be a lot of flooding."

The Emergency Response office issued guidelines for those wanting to donate relief materials. "It is vitally important that people wishing to donate material goods go through the proper channels and donate only those items that are specifically requested by authorized relief agencies," disaster response coordinator Jane Yount said. She asked those wanting to donate to Florida to see www.volunteerflorida.org or call 800-FL HELP-1. Donations will go to a partnership of disaster relief organizations and the Tampa Fair authority, to be distributed to local relief agencies for those in need. Another option for material donations is Gift of the Heart kits, particularly Emergency Clean-up Buckets and Health Kits, Yount said. For more information visit www.churchworldservice.org/kits.

In other news, Disaster Child Care has been requested to provide child care at the Lummi Indian Totem Poles Ceremony Sept. 19. A team of four will staff the child care center. The Lummi Nation from Washington State, with other tribes and intertribal organizations, is delivering a final pair of totem poles to help the country heal from the events of Sept. 11, 2001. A 2002 Healing Pole and a 2003 Honoring Pole commemorated the tragic events in New York and Shanksville, Pa. Now Liberty and Freedom Totem Poles will be placed at the Pentagon. For more information visit www.lummihealingpole.org.

The program also is providing child care at the Disaster Relief Auction at the Lebanon (Pa.) Area Fairgrounds Sept. 25. Trained volunteers who are available to help are asked to call 717-665-6416 or email gsfaus@juno.com.

A Level I Disaster Child Care Training Workshop will be offered Sept. 18-19 at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren. Currently 32 people are registered. For more information visit www.disasterchildcare.org or call 800-451-4407.

Source: Newsline 09/17/2004
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