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Why financial contributions are preferred:
- Experienced disaster relief agencies prefer the flexibility of cash donations because they avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing, transporting and distributing donated items.
- Agencies use cash to meet disaster survivors’ specific needs more quickly, and money spent in disaster-impacted areas helps local economies to recover more quickly.
Confirm the need before collecting:
- Relief agencies prefer the versatility of cash donations; however, some agencies have the infrastructure in place to store, transport and distribute donated items such as food and clothing.
- To prevent waste, get precise information and confirm the need before collecting any donated goods. Items should only be donated to agencies that have requested them specifically.
- Be wary of anyone who claims “everything is needed.” While every effort to help survivors is appreciated, disaster workers do not have the time, people power or money to dispose of unneeded donations.
Can I volunteer in foreign disaster areas?
- Volunteer opportunities in foreign disaster settings are extremely rare, and usually are limited to people with prior disaster experience and relevant technical skills (such as health or engineering).
- In a country struggling to respond to and recover from a disaster, an influx of unexpected or unneeded volunteers and donations can make response efforts even more difficult.
- Some questions potential volunteers should ask themselves before entering any disaster area, domestic or foreign, include:
- Am I affiliated with a disaster-relief agency that can provide me with a specific mission and resources to accomplish that mission?
- How will my needs for food, water and shelter be met?
- If I am injured, will appropriate medical care be available?
- Will language be a barrier to my effectiveness, and will local authorities recognize I am there to help?
- Once I enter the disaster area, will I be able to leave?
Dear UCC Conference Ministers:
It hardly seems possible that, as I write, it has been just 55 hours since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti. The outpouring of compassion, concern and support of United Church of Christ members and friends has been amazing. Prayers and offers of personal service along with unprecedented on-line donations have poured in. I am deeply grateful to be in a position to witness to this generosity.
I know many of you have been busy fielding calls and making plans for how the people of the Conference you serve may best respond. With gratitude to Cally Rogers-Witte for much of the following language, there are five options I’d like to suggest:
PRAY - God is surely grieving and weeping with all those who have lost loved ones. As the body of Christ we are called to reach out with help and prayers. Haiti Earthquake Relief Worship Resources have been posted to our website, including a bulletin insert, a new hymn lyric and a prayer.
DONATE - Obviously at this point, beyond prayers, money is what can be most helpful so please encourage individuals and local churches to be very generous in responding.
NOTE: Your can send collect gifts to the Penn West Conference as well.
ASSEMBLE KITS - Hygiene and Baby Kits are urgently needed for survivors in Haiti. This is one very concrete and "hands-on" thing that church groups can do. Church World Service has issued an urgent call for Gift of the Heart Kits.
ADVOCATE - Our ecumenical partners are asking that we advocate to the US government for "temporary protected status" for undocumented Haitians now in the United States since it would place severe burdens on them and the government of Haiti to send them back to Haiti at this point.
VOLUNTEER - And, for those people who feel called to "go and help", please direct energies to Disaster Recovery Work Groups that can help with on-going rehabilitation work in New Orleans/the Gulf Coast, Florida, Iowa, etc. There may be time in the future to be helpful in Haiti, but this is not yet the time.
Attached is a modified version of a resource Kent Siladi passed on from Volunteer Florida. This quick one-pager, explains why cash donations are better than canned goods & clothing and questions to consider before heading off to volunteer in another country during a disaster.
Thank you for all you are doing to inform and encourage UCC members and local churches to reach out to our sisters and brothers in Haiti in concrete and helpful ways.
Peace,
Susan M. Sanders
Minister for Global Sharing of Resources
One Great Hour of Sharing Administrator
(216) 736-3210 or
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