New Birth-Charlotte Relief Strategy To Aid Hurricane "Katrina" Evacuees (Cont.) Local Intervention Pastoral Relief Efforts A Relief Strategy Team has been commissioned to assess and determine the mechanisms in which New Birth-Charlotte will make meaningful contributions to the evacuees who have relocated to the metro-Charlotte surrounding communities. For households in covenant membership with New Birth-Charlotte who have opened their homes to family members who were evacuated due to Hurricane Katrina, requests for assistance have been reviewed and will be distributed based on the recommendations of the Relief Strategy Team. These households in covenant membership will receive a housing allowance stipend to assist in alleviating the financial hardship of having additional people in their home; additionally, households will be directed to other local resources that can help with accompanying financial hardships. Also, Pastor has allotted a "start-over stipend" to the evacuees in those households which will provide them with seed money to meet their personal needs as they rebuild their lives; they will also receive guidance during this process of rebuilding regarding other federal and non-governmental agencies that can provide assistance. Additionally, intercessors and ministers will be available to these families. The review of requests for assistance and subsequent determinations are at the discretion of the Relief Strategy Team. Questions regarding this process can be addressed to hurricanerelief@newbirthcharlotte.org ATTN: Relief Strategy Team. Churchwide Efforts (9/9 NEW BIRTH-CHARLOTTE UPDATE ON HURRICANE RELIEF) New Birth-Charlotte is organizing a plan to give long-term assistance to people impacted by Hurricane Katrina. With your help, we will provide housing, employment assistance and skills training for 25 families. The government system and the American Red Cross are designed to provide short-term emergency help, but are not designed to foster and empower productive, effective citizens over a longer period of time. Many can remain captive in that system too long. As announced on Tuesday night, our first stage is to look for housing opportunities within the New Birth-Charlotte family. If you own or have access to real estate, rental houses, or other property that might be used (at little/no cost to the Hurricane evacuees) please stand..... We need for you to come down to the front of the church now so that we can discuss what you have available and take down your information. (Note: JaNeice Washington and James Walker will take down meet with responders after 1st service. Valerie Dinkins and James Walker will meet with responders after 2nd service.) Everyone should continue to sow monies to help us provide housing and other services needed by the 25 families. New Birth-Charlotte is partnering with the metro-Charlotte Red Cross (704-378-4641) and Crisis Assistance Ministries (704-371-3001) to provide physical volunteer support to evacuees who are being housed at the Charlotte Coliseum. You can register as a volunteer in the vestibule with the registration team or indicate your availability by emailing hurricanerelief@newbirthcharlotte.org ATTN: Nick Moore The following shifts are available for volunteering: 4 or 8 hour shifts @ 8am-12pm/ 12pm-4pm/ 4pm-8pm/ 8pm-midnight There is a specific need for medical-social services professionals such as nurses, medical doctors, mental health clinicians/social workers Others volunteers are needed in several areas some of which include: (1)security; (2) helping with transportation needs of evacuees i.e. medical visits, shopping, apartment hunting etc; (3) service readiness i.e. moving boxes, transporting equipment, loading/unloading of evacuees, facility maintenance; (4) food service and distribution of supplies; (5) transitional services i.e. provide support wherever a need exists, spend time building relationship with evacuees, reading with children, helping them develop plans for the future. You will have an opportunity to donate clothing items through a clothing drive that will be coordinated in the coming weeks. We will need new underwear, men's, women's and children's clothing, shoes, flip flops, scrubs, blankets etc. Please ensure that your donated items are in superior condition; we do not want to reinforce any feelings of inferiority. A week ago many of these victims were accustomed to a similar lifestyle as you, if not greater. Additionally, ministers and intercessors will be available to provide ministry under the direction of Pastor Murphy. Ideas for meaningful involvement are still being considered. If you have solutions or ideas regarding an identified area of unmet need, please email: hurricanerelief@newbirthcharlotte.org ATTN: Relief Strategy Team Community Group Efforts Community groups will play a fundamental role in providing individualized care and attention to evacuees. Through group coordinated efforts, community groups will provide a system of care primarily to households who are housing evacuees. They will provide ongoing relief through meal preparation, opening their homes as extended stay locations to provide a break to the residents of the home, childcare, or attending to transportation needs. Community groups will not provide monetary donations to families. You are encouraged to make all monetary donations to New Birth-Charlotte. If you are unfamiliar with your Community Group and you believe in the collective efforts that can be made with multiplied impact when you actively participate, please register in the vestibule to locate your community group leader. Remember one can impact a thousand, and two can impact ten-thousand (Deuteronomy 32:30, paraphrased).   << Back Next >>