Mennonite Central Committee

Mennonite Central Committee responds to Hurricane Katrina

September 22, 2005

AKRON, Pa. — Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has committed nearly $2 million Cdn./$1.7 million U.S. as an initial response to Hurricane Katrina. The majority of the funds, nearly $1.4 million Cdn./$1.2 million U.S., will go to churches in and around the hurricane-affected areas that are taking the lead in responding in the hurricane aftermath.

MCC is also working in partnership with Mennonite Disaster Service, which is conducting cleanup, rebuilding and restoration efforts throughout the disaster area.

The MCC response includes more than $600,000 Cdn./$500,000 U.S. in material aid that has already been delivered to the region at the request of MDS and local churches.

Through local churches, MCC will be supporting a variety of initiatives including hiring local community workers who will assist evacuees in finding housing and support. Others will be hired to assist in hurricane-damaged communities where the people remained but need help with government forms and finding support.

MCC will offer resources for pastors of churches damaged or destroyed during the hurricane to meet the needs of their congregational members, many of whom are now evacuees. Long-term efforts will address the issues of injustice and racism surrounding the disaster.

Churches in the region have been involved in responding to the disaster since the hurricane hit. Poarch Community Church, a Mennonite church on a Poarch Creek Indian reservation near Atmore, Ala., sheltered 60 evacuees during the hurricane and for two weeks afterward.

"As a church, we weren't prepared for that, but we wanted to fill in ... before a shelter could be prepared for them," said Steve Cheramie Risingsun, the pastor of Poarch Community Church.

The membership of some congregations in Louisiana, such as Iglesia Amor Viviente in Metairie, Comunidad Cristiana Internacional in Harahan and Iglesia Evangélica Garífuna in New Orleans, have become hurricane evacuees. "The majority of the brothers and sisters lost everything," Rev. Carl Bernhard of Amor Viviente said. "Their apartments and houses are there, but everything is ruined."

Houston Mennonite Church is assisting some of the hundreds of thousands of evacuees now in the state by finding housing and offering support. In Meridian, Miss., Jubilee Mennonite Church has turned its gymnasium into a Red Cross service center. More than 300 families are registering for help and receiving checks from the Red Cross each day.

"Our community is pulling together, and all kinds of people are helping all kinds of people," said Elaine Maust, co-pastor of Jubilee Mennonite Church. "But I think we're still kind of reacting. We're just figuring out what to do one day at a time."

MCC is asking donors to help fund the work of the local churches as they work to bring restoration and healing to their communities. Financial donations can be made online or by calling any MCC office.