Baptist Press reports that 25 Southern Baptist feeding units have been requested by the Red Cross and four by the Salvation Army. Preliminary site locations have been identified in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, and each feeding unit has been asked to bring clean-up/recovery, shower and communication units with them.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief-related units from Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas Baptist Men, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, New Mexico, Iowa, Michigan and Virginia Baptist Mission Board all have been activated.
In addition, Southern Baptist teams are being activated to serve on the two big kitchens owned by the American Red Cross, the Spirit of America and Henry's Kitchen. California Baptist Disaster Relief will staff the Spirit and Northwest Baptist Disaster Relief will staff Henry's Kitchen.
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) also is launching a $2 million fundraising effort to address the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. The funds will provide Rapid Response Team deployment and early assessments; initial flood and damage cleanup and repairs and development of community-based recovery organizations.
CRWRC will assess community needs, recruit long-term reconstruction volunteers and provide building reconstruction materials and transportation.
How You Can Help
For information on ways to assist The Salvation Army in meeting the needs of the victims of Katrina, persons may call 1-800-SALARMY or visit www.salvationarmyusa.org.
You can take part in Operation Blessing's ongoing hurricane response efforts by making an online donation today to support OBI relief services in the field: www.ob.org.
Financial support for CRWRC's response to Hurricane Katrina and elsewhere can be given by calling 1-800-55-CRWRC, or online at www.crwrc.org. Checks should be made out to "CRWRC," earmarked "Hurricanes 2005," and sent to 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49560.
Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
