CASH DONATIONS ARE THE BEST WAY TO HELP HURRICANE RELIEF AT THIS TIME

Donations to Church groups will help get needed supplies to those impacted by Katrina

Even before Hurricane Katrina hit the Florida and Gulf Coasts, Kentuckians have kept phone 
lines busy asking how to get involved and volunteer for the relief effort. Because of this 
outpouring of support, the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security and the Kentucky Division of 
Emergency Management remind potential volunteers to contact their local emergency management 
agencies to get involved.  The best form of assistance at this time comes in the form of 
cash.

The Kentucky Interchurch Disaster Recovery Program recommends that members of the Kentucky 
Council of Churches donate through Church World Service or one of the 
faith groups listed below. 

American Baptist Churches USA
http://www.abc-usa.org/

Catholic Charities
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Week of Compassion
http://www.weekofcompassion.org/

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee
http://www.crwrc.org/

Church of the Brethren
http://www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/index.htm

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
http://www.thefellowship.info/Landing/relief.icm

Episcopal Relief and Development
http://www.er-d.org/

Lutheran Disaster Response
http://www.elca.org/dcs/disaster/

Mennonite Disaster Service
http://www.mds.mennonite.net/

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
http://www.pcusa.org/pda/

Reformed Church in America
http://rcws.rca.org/

Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Southern Baptist Convention
http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.224451/k.7BDB/Disaster_Relief_Homepage.htm

United Church of Christ
http://www.ucc.org/oghs/national.htm

United Methodist Committee on Relief
http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/youhelp.stm

Those interested in volunteering should not head south to help in disaster areas without 
receiving formal direction from their local emergency management agencies. Those who travel 
without first receiving direction may be turned away by relief efforts in the affected 
areas. 

"We would like to thank the thousands of Kentuckians who are signing up to volunteer in the 
wake of this devastating hurricane," said General Maxwell Clay Bailey, director of the 
Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. "But we also want to ensure these efforts take 
place in the areas that need the greatest amount of help." 

"As requests come in, private agencies play a major role in the recovery effort and provide 
much needed support," said Steve Oglesby, Kentucky Emergency Management's Area 14 manager. 
"However, these agencies have limited resources and often depend on donations from the 
public to fund their programs. Past experience has shown us the public can actually be 
generous to a fault by providing items that are not immediately needed or require special 
needs. The best and most productive donation can be made in the form of cash."
Individuals wanting to make donations are strongly encouraged to consider doing so with 
MONETARY contributions to one of the groups named above or another reputable relief and 
recovery organization.

Steve Oglesby, who also serves as a representative of Kentucky Organizations Active in 
Disaster (KyVOAD) will be the point of contact for all agencies if anyone is deployed or 
needs additional resources. He can be reached at (502) 607-1647.  For more information on 
the relief effort and how you can get involved, contact the Kentucky Division of Emergency 
Management's Donations Management Call Center at 1-800-618-1689. 
The following is a list of nearby charitable agencies which are coordinating volunteer 
relief efforts with the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. 

Christian Appalachian Program
Point of contact: Sherrie Buresh
Phone: 606-308-9234
EMAIL: sburesh@chisapp.org

Indiana/Kentucky Conference United Church of Christ
Point of contact: Mariana Speller
Phone: 317-409-3993
EMAIL: louismaryanna@juno.com

The Salvation Army - Kentucky/Tennessee Divisional Headquarters
214-216 W. Chestnut Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-583-5391
Fax: 502-625-1199

The Salvation Army of the Central Kentucky Area
736 W. Main Street
Lexington, KY 40509
(859) 252-7706

United Methodist Committee on Relief
Point of contact: Charles Douglas
Phone: 606-436-3513
Cell: 606-438-1014
EMAIL: bmumc@alltel.net

Respectfully submitted,

Chris Skidmore, Interim KIDRP coordinator

Eastern Kentucky is facing one of its worst flooding disasters. The coordinator for the Kentucky Interchurch Disaster Program, has been working in Eastern Kentucky to organized committees in each flood devastated county. He has made a minimum of five and up to ten trips to each county plus banging on at least 100 church doors trying to get organizations and committees formed in the counties of Eastern Kentucky. In coordination with other disaster agencies, local committees are now in place in each county.

Approximately 36,000 people have been affected by floods. 7800 requests have already been turned into to FEMA. August 9th was the cut off date for damages to be turned into FEMA so there will be more claims. There will be at least an estimated $500,000.00 in unmet needs. Some estimates are placing this figure closer to 2 million dollars.

Each committee has been asked to pick 10 families to work with first so that the volunteers can begin to do recovery work. Community Action and CAP are active on each committee as well as pastors and lay persons. FEMA monies are being released as quickly as possible and the committees are working to get the unmet needs assessed, coordinate the volunteer effort and assure that monies are spent appropriately.

There have been volunteers from the Baptists, church groups, students from Harvard and Yale, and buses of high school students doing relief work and will be volunteers from the Mennonites, church groups, and CRWWF with Art Story out of Michigan to do recovery work.

Once again, KIDRP does not get involved with the initial relief stage of recovery but is involved in long term recovery. After FEMA and insurance claims are filed, KIDRP then endeavors to meet the needs that have fallen through the cracks in the conventional system. However, it is important that local committees be formed during the initial stage of recovery and KIDRP has been instrumental in developing each these committees in the counties involved. For the unmet needs it is essential that monies for materials be available while there are volunteer workers in the area. If sufficient lodging can be made available, over 1,000 volunteers stand ready to move into the flooded regions providing labor with varying areas of expertise to help rebuild these devastated communities. Money is desperately needed to provide the building materials for this work to be done.

Respectfully submitted,

(Jeanie L. Hartman Douglas for)
Harper Davis, Interim KIDRP coordinator

Our mission is to insure the uninterrupted presence of the Christian community through ecumenical efforts in ministry to those hurt by both the natural and technological disasters that bring fragmentation, brokenness, pain, suffering, and anguish to the people of Kentucky.

• That the people of Kentucky will always have the positive, redemptive presence of the Church as a source of hope and inspiration in the midst of their suffering, loss, and misfortune;
• That the people of Kentucky will have the best of per-disaster training for disasters of all kinds because the training is anchored in universal values of compassion, equality, integrity, openness, and fairness; and
• That the people of Kentucky, regardless of religious persuasion, racial heritage, economic status, and/or political affiliation will have an advocate to reclamation without bias, wholeness with justice, and recovery with impartiality.

Since the devastating tornadoes of April 3, 1974, KIDRP has been in continuous service. This twenty plus year history makes it not only the first state-wide ecumenical ministry in disaster response, but it is the longest continuous delivery system of Disaster Recovery Services.

The program has, over the past twenty five years, ministered to the needs of the disadvantaged, disenfranchised, and marginalized groups through direct aid, volunteer assistance, and advocacy programs.

This program works well with, and has received awards from, state and federal agencies, such as the Disaster and Emergency Services of Kentucky, the American Red Cross, and the Federal Emergency Management Assistance program in Washington, D.C.

KIDRP offers Disaster Preparedness Training through seminars conducted in strategically located areas.

The recovery program has developed and solidified a network within the disaster services, church community, state, and federal government. This network has allowed KIDRP to have a direct positive influence on the assessment of, and the provision of services, through disaster periods.

With Kentucky as prone to disaster as it is, this program must be maintained, without interruption.

From: John Kays, KIDRP Coordinator
To: All Members of the KY Council of Churches
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 12:23 PM
Subject: KIDRP ALERT

KENTUCKY DISASTER ALERT:

FROM: KIDRP COORDINATOR

Colleagues:

Once again, Kentucky has been hit broad side with a series of disasters.
Unfortunately, we have suffered a double portion of disaster in the form of
multiple tornadoes (and strong winds) and floods. It seemed at first that we would
be spared serious emergencies, but as storms were compounded by additional
storms the numbers began to rise and it looks as if we are in the clutches of
another major disaster in the state. We are currently waiting for a
presidential declaration, which seems more than justified, but is of yet
not forthcoming.

Affected areas: Most of the tornadic damage is in Henry County, where 347
homes were affected 100 of which were either destroyed or received major
damage.

Other wind damage occurred in Fayette, Jefferson, Hopkins, and Grayson
Counties. In Eastern Kentucky, major flooding occurred in Knox, Magoffin, Johnson,
Martin, and Floyd Counties.

In the meantime, here is what KIDRP is doing:

We are part of a weekly conference call that includes Kentucky Emergency
Management, FEMA, the Red Cross, Church World Service, and a variety of other
voluntary agencies throughout Kentucky. Some of these agencies must have a
federal declaration before they can officially act.

KIDRP is mainly involved in recovery. Our task now is to gather as much
information as possible and pass it along to the KIDRP committee and the Council
of Churches. We are also attempting to set up faith-based meetings to address
long term recovery concerns. In this connection, several important meetings
are being planned. On Thursday, 17 June, a meeting in Prestonsburg will
attempt to draw people together from the Eastern part of the state who have
suffered flood damage. The next day in Louisville, there will be a meeting for those
who want to do recovery work in areas damaged by high winds and tornadoes.
The regional Church World Service representative will be present and will
provide training for all who are interested in helping. The East zone meeting will
be at the Presbyterian Church in Prestonsburg at 3 p.m. and the West zone
meeting will be at Calvin Presbyterian in Louisville at 3 p.m. A two-hour
training session for Henry and surrounding counties is being planned for
24 June in Eminence.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT MAJOR FUNDS WILL BE NEEDED FOR VICTIMS
WHO WILL FALL FAR SHORT OF WHAT THEY WILL REQUIRE FOR RECOVERY.
Churches should start planning NOW to contribute to the KIDRP account to
aid hundreds of victims throughout the state.
We will distribute the money according to priorities and in keeping
with regulations that govern contributions to local recovery committees. As
usual, contributing churches will be credited with the gift. KIDRP has been a
shinning beacon for numerous people over a 30-year period. Even with the
stress imposed by the economy we are obligated to help our brothers and sisters.

Let's not fail them now.

Please help us to inform our constituency as to how KIDRP operates. Since
we are a recovery, rather than a relief program, our major work begins when the
established relief and response agencies (Red Cross, Salvation Army,
Emergency Management, FEMA, etc.) have provided for shelter, food, and
clothing-essential services. This doesn't mean that we turn a deaf ear to the immediate
problem, but we don't normally become directly related. The central priority
now is to gather information, provide leadership for establishing a permanent
committee, inform our constituency. It also means that we make preliminary
estimates of how our giving should progress and appeal to our member
communions. As always, we will keep you informed as to how things are going. Above
all, pray for those who once again have been ravaged by winds and waters. The
ecumenical spirit dictates that we reach out to help those who are our neighbors
in their hour of need.

For more information about how you can help, please click here.

John Kays, coordinator

Kentucky Interchurch Disaster Recovery Program
Kentucky Council of Churches
1500 Leestown Rd., Suite 108
Lexington, KY 40511
kidrp@kycouncilofchurches.org

TO: Judicatory leaders and KIDRP committee members:
FROM: John Kays, KIDRP coordinator

DISASTER ALERT
September 4, 2003

Once again heavy unseasonable rains have brought a disastrous situation to Kentucky-this time with several tragic deaths. The damage is centered on Stoney Creek and its tributaries in Franklin County. Although damage assessments
are in progress, it now appears that at least 5 homes were totally destroyed and over 50 others received major or minor damage. A number of families are homeless. Fortunately, the damage is confined to a relatively small geographical
area. This will enable the leaders of Franklin County to unite to help those most severely affected. I have been in touch with local emergency management and religious leaders and will follow through on plans to organize a long-term
committee to deal with the situation. Even though no dollar figures can presently be assigned to the Stoney Creek disaster, we can estimate that there will be an opportunity for KIDRP to become involved.

John Kays, coordinator

Kentucky Interchurch Disaster Recovery Program
Kentucky Council of Churches
2549 Richmond Rd., Suite 302
Lexington, KY 40509-1595
kidrp@kycouncilofchurches.org

KIDRP DISASTER ALERT
From: John Kays, KIDRP Coordinator

Colleagues:

This alert is to keep you informed about what is happening in Eastern Kentucky with regard to heavy flooding over the past 5 months. The affected areas cover approximately 12 counties with varying degrees of damage. The frustrating thing about this situation is that there have been 3 major disasters coming within 2 months apart that carry a separate case management number for each disaster. Assessments have been slow in coming because of the inability to "close" each case before having to reassess recurring damage in the majority of the affected counties. This has produced an enormous amount of "burn-out" among the frontline agency workers as well as local officials.

A sizable amount of money will be needed to retore this vast area. The area is too large for KIDRP to go in and organize in every county. The KCC KIDRP, plus Church World Service, FEMA, the ARC and others are working toward this end, perhaps on some kind of regional basis. We are taking things step by step and one community assesment has been completed. We have a firm assessment of flood damage in one committee that has been functioning successfully for several years. The long term committee in Lewis County (Vanceburg) has done case management for their damage, which was considerable, and has determined that ALL their disaster victims can be served by rebuilding 5 or 6 homes that were completely destroyed. The cost of materials is estimated at between $40,000 and 50,000. Remarkably, they have the teams ready to do the work, labor-free. In a recent consultation with the Church World Service representative, Lesli Remaly, we decided that, since they have their ducks in order and repair teams standing by, it would be good to raise as much of that amount as we can and tell them to proceed with the most severe cases and then we can proceed from there. Churches are currently being asked to donate 3-5 thousand each, or as much as they can so that this phase can begin immediately. More support will be needed, but this is the current status of our initial recovery efforts.

I have traveled recently in Eastern Kentucky with Church World Service and FEMA officials who are attempting to organize local or regional long-term recovery committees and/or to revitalize existing committees. One senses the frustration when discussing ways to organize faith-based committees to which we can direct funds for recovery. This presents a completely different situation from a tornado-racked area like Providence, for example, where a single committee was able to organize and function within a relatively limited territory. In Eastern Kentucky we are dealing with a large region that covers most of Appalachia. In some cases there is a strong reluctance to establish committee relationships with adjoining counties. This is somewhat true of all counties in the state. How many counties can support committees? Can existing committees take the responsibility for adjacent counties with little or no potential for organizing a committee?

These questions beg for answers. I can tell you that KIDRP is actively cooperating with the other agencies to organize faith-based committees that will take responsibility for their own areas. We have made no appeal for funds because of (1) the lack of final damage assessments from the Red Cross and FEMA, and (2) the absence of faith-based committees to manage the recovery process. Lesli Remaly, our regional Church World Service representative, recently spent 10 days in the state working with FEMA, Emergency Management, and KIDRP to find solutions to the problems noted above. We began with a meeting at the Disaster Field Office in Frankfort involving the Red Cross, FEMA, Church World Service, UMCOR, Catholic Charities, KIDRP, United Way, Church of the Brethren Disaster, among others. It was a very candid session, with frustrations and misgivings being liberally expressed. From there we journeyed into the Eastern zone, where Lesli and Jennifer Yunkers, the FEMA representative, had numerous meetings with local officials in at least 7 counties. I was able to attend a few of these meetings. Lesli is returning in 2 weeks to follow through on the most promising of these contacts. One important positive result of our meetings was a firm commitment from EK-CORE in Floyd County to make a renewed attempt to reach out to surrounding counties. EK-CORE has been a vital source of disaster assistance for the past 2 years. (One of the leaders of this long-term committee is Rev. Julie Love, also on the KIDRP committee.)

The bottom line is that folks in Eastern Kentucky are still suffering. It is understandable that they have developed a stoic attitude in the face of so much recurring flooding, but this is no reason for us to become apathetical. Figures are starting to come in and federal money is already "on the street." Our task is to find those who will not have means to help themselves. We do this by supporting work crews like the Mennonites, providing administrative funds for management, assisting with medical needs and household goods. Our KIDRP committee has had 2 important meetings recently and is currently in process of preparing official by-laws that will better define how we function and under what circumstances.

Above all, pray for the flood victims of Eastern Kentucky and those who are ministering to them. Pray for families who have lost loved ones over the past few months as a result of these disasters. Be prepared to work with KIDRP committee members and our KCC staff as we reach out to our churches for financial support to help alleviate the suffering of our
sisters and brothers in Eastern Kentucky.

Your servant,

John Kays