Date: Wed, 20 Sep 95 11:52:33 EDT
Errors-To: disaster@vita.org
Reply-To: incident@lan.vita.org
Originator: appeal@vita.org
Sender: appeal@vita.org
From: Emergency Information Administrator
Subject: Appeal - Puerto Rico/USVI: Hurricane Marilyn (CWS: 18-Sep-95)
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment: Emergency Situation Appeal
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PUERTO RICO & THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS -
HURRICANE MARILYN
$250,000 APPEAL
Thousands are homeless & jobless in Puerto Rico & on
the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Marilyn.
100% of All Denominational Contributions
To Church World Service
Are Used to Assist Disaster Survivors
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CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
National Council of Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A.
32 Denominations & Communions
Working Together To Meet Human Need
475 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10115
Disaster Bulletin No. 76386
September 18, 1995
TO: CHURCH WORLD SERVICE CONSTITUENCY
FROM: Lawrence Turnipseed (signed 09-18-95)
RE: Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands -
Hurricane Marilyn: $250,000 Appeal
SITUATION: At least nine persons died and thousands
are homeless and jobless in Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands as a result of Hurricane Marilyn. On
the Virgin Islands, power and communication systems are
still down and food and water must be brought in from
the outside. CWS has offered emergency relief supplies
to mass care providers and is identifying long-term
needs churches will have to help address. Based on the
extent of damages, it is issuing this appeal for
$250,000 (Ref. CWS Alert date 09-17-95.)
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Marilyn damaged nearly 17,000 homes on St. Croix and
St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. St. Thomas
experienced the worst of the hurricane's fury with
nearly all of the 12,000 homes on the Island either
destroyed or damaged. The storm also totally destroyed
warehouse food stocks on St. Thomas and did heavy
damage to its only hospital. Forty per cent of the
12,000 homes on St. Croix sustained moderate to severe
damage in localized pockets.
The hurricane affected 850 housing units in eastern
portions of Puerto Rico, doing the most destruction on
the Islands of Culebra and Vieques off the coast. On
Culebra, the storm destroyed an estimated 100 homes and
damaged another 250.
Beyond the property destruction, Marilyn has also
severely disrupted the fishing-dependent economies of
the areas it struck. Many people have lost their jobs
on the affected islands where fishing boats and
facilities were damaged or destroyed.
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NEEDS: Funds and material aid for:
- Emergency relief - food, water, bedding, tents,
shelter-related equipment
- Cleanup, repair, and rebuilding of homes and other
structures
- Economic assistance to individual families
- Pastoral care & counseling
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CWS is offering relief supplies to mass care providers
including the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the American Red Cross (ARC) which have had
emergency material in place at sites since before the
hurricane struck. Although needs are being addressed,
CWS expects requests for supplementary aid and is
gearing up to meet them.
In Puerto Rico, the Christian Ministry Service in
Emergency (CMSE), a CWS partner, is planning to focus
on unmet long term recovery and rehabilitation needs on
the Islands of Culebra and Vieques.
CWS will also begin conducting a needs assessment in
Puerto Rico and on the U.S. Virgin Island later this
week to identify other ways it can assist survivors of
the hurricane. It is in touch with denominations and
church-related agencies that have a presence on the
affected islands - including Lutheran Social Services,
the Reformed Church in American, and Catholic
Charities.
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CHURCH WORLD SERVICE RESPONSE:
$250,000 APPEAL
- CWS is issuing this initial emergency appeal for
$250,000 to address needs of survivors of Hurricane
Marilyn in Puerto Rico and on the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- CWS is sending $5,000 in seed money to the Christian
Ministry Service in Emergency (CMSE) for its recovery
program on the Islands of Culebra and Viaeques.
- CWS United Church of Christ/Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) volunteer Disaster Resource
Consultant (DRC) Abigail Rosado Quiles in Puerto Rico
is working with CMSE in developing its recovery
programs on the Islands of Culebra and Viaeques.
- CWS is sending Richard Krajeski and Kristina
Peterson, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) CWS DRCs in West
Virginia, to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to
conduct a needs assessment, identify ways CWS can
contribute to the recovery effort, and help the local
religious community develop and implement a response to
needs created by Hurricane Marilyn.
- CWS is continuing to attempt to contact Sylvia
Talbot, African Methodist Episcopal CWS DRC on St.
Croix, about needs on the Island. (AT&T expects to
restore telephone communication to St. Croix tomorrow.)
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The need is urgent. Swift action is necessary.
Please send contributions through your communion/
denomination designated for this CWS appeal #76386
or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart
IN 46515. CWS uses 100 per cent of all
denominational contributions for assistance to
disaster survivors.
It is important to notify the CWS Emergency
Response Office of any grants sent directly. When
sending funds directly, please notify the
recipient that your grant should be included in
reporting of total income figures for disaster
recovery.
Please encourage congregations and other community
groups to also assemble "Gifts of the Heart" kits
and send to the CWS New Windsor, MD, warehouse
(address at end of list below):
- CLEAN-UP KIT
1 bucket filled with sponges
1 wire brush
plastic garbage bags
1 scrub brush
rubber gloves
1 can powder cleanser
- HEALTH KIT
1 hand towel
1 wash cloth
1 new bath-size bar of soap
1 comb
1 toothbrush
1 tube of toothpaste
6 bandaids
1 nail file
Wrap all other items in the hand towel and tie it all
up with ribbon. Pack all kits in sturdy cartons.
Multiple kits may be boxed together. Please indicate
number of health kits enclosed.
- KITCHEN UTENSIL KIT
metal tea kettle
1-qt. and 3-qt. metal cook pots (with lids)
metal 12-inch skillet (with lid)
spatula
hand-held can opener
16-oz. plastic bottle dish detergent
large package paper napkins
plastic salt and pepper shakers
2 each - dish towels, pot holders, sponges
3 large serving spoons
4 each - unbreakable durable plastic plates,
bowls, cups
4 sets stainless steel eating utensils
Please clearly mark the outside of each box to indicate
the kind of "Gifts of the Heart Kit" (i.e.: "Clean-up
Kit," "Health Kit")and ship pre-paid to New Windsor CWS
Service Center, 500 Main Street, New Windsor, MD 21776-
0188.
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Call the NCCC/CWS HOTLINE for updates
1 800 456-1310.
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For further information about the emergency, contact
CWS Emergency Response at (212) 870-3151 or through
ECUNET to CWS DROFFICE. Call (800) 733-2863 to join
ECUNET.