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Lutheran Disaster
Response Update
Dr.
Kurt Senske, Chief Executive Officer |
05-31-06 |
The pace is picking up in
Louisiana and Texas as we continue to respond to the terrible
destruction left by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Serving as the local
disaster response agency for Lutheran Disaster Response in Louisiana and
Texas, I am pleased to inform you of several exciting developments, all of
which offer numerous volunteer opportunities to serve our Lord and Savior.
Volunteer Disaster Response
Our six volunteer sites in New Orleans house up to 200 volunteers a week.
They come from all over the country to help disaster victims gut out and
repair their homes and remove debris and downed trees and tree limbs. To
date, volunteers have helped clean out, gut and make minor repairs on more
than 200 homes.
Not only is this ministry important to the victims by offering hope to those
who despair, it also has a profound impact on those who come to help.
Following is a note we received from one such volunteer:
Dear Dr. Senske:
Pastor Michael Wolfram, Vicar Chris Matthis and I of
Trinity Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa, had the
opportunity to do disaster relief work in the Gulf on Feb. 11-18. Our
camp was located in Slidell, La., and I want you to know what a
wonderful experience this week provided us all.
For once, every one of the 40+ campers in attendance had a chance to
see the devastation the storms have done and how it has affected
people in the area. We were met with numerous outreach situations that
greatly changed those being served and those serving.
The enthusiasm of the Camp Director, Kurt Smith, the staff and
volunteers was awesome. Limited facilities and limited budgets were
evident, but the Lord was using them all to His Glory.
LDR has new converts and we will be communicating your message to all
in Western Iowa.
We will return.Dennis Trollope |
Working
with the faith communities and their disaster response agencies in southeast
Texas and southwestern Louisiana, LSS and volunteers
are assisting Hurricane Rita survivors pick up the pieces and move forward.
Recently a group of 29 Nebraskans helped transform a heavily damaged home in
Orange, Texas, back to a safe, livable structure. The homeowner was so moved
by the volunteers' work that she presented each with a small ceramic angel
for being her "angels" during this difficult time.
If you and/or a group from your congregation
or community is interested in volunteering to help rebuild the
hurricane-devastated region, please
click here for more information. The need is tremendous and thousands of
volunteers are needed in the coming months.
Katrina Aid
Today/UMCOR
LSS has opened offices in
New Orleans,
Baton Rouge,
Houston and the
Golden Triangle to help hurricane survivors develop recovery plans so
they can rebuild their lives. 0-LSS case managers and volunteer case workers
will work directly with affected families to assess their immediate and
long-term needs, and help them access resources and services. Other
assistance includes helping survivors find good housing and employment and
enrolling their children in school. This program is expected to help an
estimated 6,800 families become self sufficient over the next two years. To
volunteer for this program, please contact Heather Gatlin at
hgatlin@lsss.org.
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Camp
Noah
More than four million children were affected by the widespread destruction
and turmoil in the following months. Many of the children are having trouble
coping, are fearful and acting out. Parents, who also are traumatized and so
focused on putting their lives and homes back together sometimes don't
realize the impact of the disasters on their children. Using the highly
successful, Camp Noah program, LSS will offer 50 sessions of this Vacation
Bible School-type curriculum through 2007 to help children in the affected
areas. The program strives to help children overcome the trauma of being
displaced from homes and schools and the loss of friends and family. With
the help of more than 3,000 volunteers, Camp Noah will help about 6,000
children heal emotionally and spiritually. To volunteer for Camp Noah,
please contact
Carol
Flores.
Caring for Caregivers
Often caregivers, including pastors, are so consumed with taking care of
others that they don't take care of themselves after a disaster. To not do
so can lead to burnout, high levels of stress and other problems. As part of
the spiritual care component of our disaster response effort, LSS provided a
respite retreat for pastors and other caregivers of hurricanes in February.
Ten people took advantage of the event, facilitated by Lutheran Counseling
Services of Winter Park, Fla., to take a break, receive care and learn how
to continue to care for disaster victims. LCS counselors will continue to
provide services to caregivers in the months to come. A special retreat also
is being offered to pastors and their family in June at a center in Aspen,
Colo.
Bethlehem
Children's Center/
Peace Lake Towers
Unfortunately there is little
progress to report
on our two ministries in New Orleans. We are still waiting for local, state
and federal officials to make critical decisions about reconstruction of New
Orleans East. We also are waiting for the Louisiana Office of Children's
Services and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to
indicate their support for the return of those programs, both of which are
closed. The Bethlehem children have all been discharged from the Bokenkamp
Children's Center in Corpus Christi and placed in foster homes and
children's centers closer to Louisiana courts and family members. The
residents of Peace Lake remain scattered across the country, but most of
them want to return to New Orleans. Please continue to pray that authorities
make prudent decisions soon.
Financial Overview
Lutheran Social Services is committed to long-term response in the
hurricane-devastated region over the next two to three years. Grants from
Katrina Aid Today (UMCOR/LDR) are for long-term case management services to
be provided to about 6,800 families in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Houston
for the next 24 months. Lutheran Disaster Response and Thrivent Financial
for Lutheran grants will underwrite expenses for Camp Noah sessions, which
will be conducted this summer, as well as ongoing volunteer support in the
months ahead.
Financial Overview
through
April 30, 2006
Projected
Budget for
Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi -
Aug. 29, 2005 to March 31, 2007
Projected
Budget for Katrina Aid Today
Case Management for
Louisiana and Texas:
Thank you for your continued prayers and
support as together we turn tragedy into triumph and replace despair with
hope.
In His Service,
Dr. Kurt Senske
Chief Executive Officer
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