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CWS Appeal Update: Hurricane Katrina

June 26, 2006

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, which would become the costliest Atlantic hurricane in U.S. history, came ashore with a sustained wind speed of 145 mph along Grand Isle, Louisiana. The sheer force of hurricane storm surges, and the subsequent levee system breech in New Orleans, ultimately claimed 1,836 lives and caused a currently estimated $75 billion in damages to the Mississippi-Louisiana Gulf Coast.

More than a million people were directly affected by the hurricane, with tens of thousands still temporarily settled throughout the U.S., as far away as California, Michigan, Washington, and New York.

Breakdown of damages by state:

LOUISIANA

1,577 confirmed dead; some still unaccounted for
More than 1.4 million registrations for federal assistance
More than 280,000 housing units destroyed
According to FEMA, more than 200,000 people are living in trailers or unfinished houses
More than 73,000 FEMA mobile housing units occupied
Severe environmental health risks for residents and relief workers

MISSISSIPPI

238 confirmed dead
More than 75,000 homes and buildings destroyed in six coastal counties
Widespread loss of jobs, livelihoods, and income
500,000 Mississippians have applied for disaster assistance from FEMA
38,000 FEMA mobile housing units occupied

CWS RESPONSE UPDATE 06/23/06:

2005 Hurricane Repair and Rebuilding Grants

Nine organizations in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas were awarded $446,028 for rebuilding projects to be completed by September 20, 2006. The funds are a part of the $3 million grant from Habitat For Humanity to be distributed over 2 years. Deadline for applications for the second round of funding grants is October 2.

CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaison (DRRL) Work in New Orleans DRRL Lura Cayton continues to be the core contact for CWS work in New Orleans, however, other DRRLs are directly relating to particular organizations and groups as follows:

Cayton: St Bernard Parish long-term recovery group; Orleans Parish long-term recovery group; Greater New Orleans Disaster Recovery Partnership (GNODRP); Louisiana Interchurch Conference
Tom Davis: Jefferson Parish; Plaquemines Parish; Louisiana Interfaith Disaster Response Network
Tim Johnson: historic African American churches; other like organizations with special interests
Heriberto Martinez: Hispanic community in conjunction with the Hispanic Apostolate of the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
Joann Hale: technological-caused disaster ministry and advocacy especially in relationship to toxic materials and health and safety of residents and workers

CWS DRRL Work in Mississippi

DRRL Lesli Remaly is primary contact for recovery groups formed in Mississippi
On-Call DRRL Dan Grimes is on-site to provide long-term mentoring and training for the groups who are in especially devastated coastal areas

CWS Tools and Blankets and CWS Kits:

Church World Service has sent more than 70 shipments, valued at $1.7 million to seven states assisting Hurricane Katrina survivors, including:

27,870 Blankets (valued at $139,350)
83,978 Health Kits (valued at $1,097,083)
9,720 School Kits (valued at $130,650)
5,435 CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets (valued at $231,075)
808 Kids Kits (valued at $19,392)
675 Baby Kits (valued $23,625)
22 Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) Medicine Boxes (valued $18,553)
48 UNICEF Recreational Kits (valued $9,600).

Overview of Recovery work by DRRLS

Working the Gulf Coast since last September, the DRRL team has effected development of more than 30 new community recovery organizations which will provide case management and coordinate volunteer and skilled labor for home rebuilding. CWS DRRLs will continue to mentor, train, and channel financial support for the groups through 2006 into 2007.
CWS has dispersed some $2.5 million in financial assistance to aid Gulf Coast Recovery operations. In addition to funding long-term recovery groups and organizations through normal channels, CWS is providing resources that enable ethnic communities -- African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Vietnamese -- to fully participate in the recovery processes.
CWS has sponsored eight workshops providing support services to clergy and caregivers through Interfaith Trauma Response Trainings.
CWS, and partners United Church of Christ and Louisiana Environmental Action Network, is leading local outreach, trainings, and publication of materials advocating health and safety for workers and residents exposed to environmental contamination caused by the disaster.
In an unprecedented response in domestic disasters, CWS has replaced computers, A/V equipment, books and supplies in 13 damaged schools and funded 10 community programs that mentor and train at-risk teens in Louisiana and Mississippi, utilizing a $1.3 million grant from an international peer organization.

EMERGENCY APPEAL

This is an information update for CWS appeal (#6280 - Hurricane Katrina Response) originally released September 8, 2005.

Church World Service will continue to support the development of community long-term recovery structures and community physical and spiritual health in response to Hurricane Katrina throughout 2006 and into 2007.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: 800-297-1516, ext. 222.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

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