From Virginia to Louisiana: A Call for Help, A Call to Action
By Emily Cherry
Since Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast over a year ago, the images of destruction have faded in our minds. We don’t hear daily media reports about the devastation, poverty and homelessness that still rule the region. And it has become easier for us, as a nation, to forget about the continuing need for aid in such places as Louisiana and Mississippi.
The message that the Diocese of Virginia wants to send to its brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast is that we have not forgotten you.
Missioners of the Diocese of Virginia have committed themselves to helping in relief efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi. But with only one year of work behind them, years of reconstruction and rebuilding remain. That’s why we need your help.
Diocese of Virginia Involvement
Two members of St. Mark’s, Richmond, have spearheaded diocesan efforts for rebuilding and relief in the Gulf region. Assistant Rector the Rev. Buck Aiken and long-time parishioner Steve Clark have made numerous trips to Mississippi and to the Diocese of Louisiana to do some reconnaissance, lend a hand, and bring back information to the Diocese of Virginia to allow us to do our part as well. Mr. Aiken was watching CNN one August morning in 2005 and witnessed the destruction of St. Mark’s Church, Gulfport, Miss. So, he called up the pastor of the Mississippi church and asked how he could help. Three weeks later, he and Mr. Clark were traveling to Mississippi, loaded down with donations of office furniture and ready to pitch in. “The amount of destruction along the coast was overwhelming,” said Mr. Clark. That trip was the start of the Diocese of Virginia’s dedication to relief efforts. Since then, the Diocese sent seven trucks and one van to Mississippi to help haul building materials. On the side of the trucks was printed the project motto: “A time to build,” Ecclesiastes 3:3. In addition, more than 50 volunteer teams from diocesan churches have partnered with churches in the affected areas, mostly in Mississippi, and collectively sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to support rebuilding efforts and, in Louisiana, to help support paying clergy salaries in the early months after the disaster.
What Needs to Be Done
In Mississippi, long-term help has arrived in the form of Camp Coast Care, a rebuilding initiative developed by the Lutheran Episcopal Disaster Services and fueled by volunteers, many from the Diocese of Virginia. The situation remains more critical in the Diocese of Louisiana, where over half of the population of New Orleans still cannot return home. In an Aug. 28 address, Rob Radkte, president of Episcopal Relief and Development, noted, “At the core of our response is livelihood and housing renewal.” ERD has received over $15 million in donations to aid this response, part of which has taken the form of the Jericho Road Housing Project. “This is not simply a reconstruction,” Dr. Radtke added. “It’s about . . . building back a better and more just society.” The Jericho Road Housing Project works towards this end by providing affordable housing to low-income families through the construction of 500 homes. Mr. Aiken noted, “The churches are involved in the rebuilding of people’s homes . . . The only place for a lot of people to turn are the churches.”
Last month Mr. Aiken and Mr. Clark were dispatched to Louisiana to connect to Disaster Response officials in the Diocese of Louisiana. There they met with a number of diocesan officials, toured areas where churches there are focusing their efforts and set up a channel of communication to connect people in the Diocese of Virginia with opportunities to help the people of Louisiana. They also returned with a list of items and needs that will benefit the Office of Disaster Response, St. Paul’s Homecoming Center, Jericho Road Housing Project and other relief efforts sponsored by ERD and the Diocese of Louisiana. If you can help provide any of the items below, please contact Buck Aiken at buckman356@comcast.net or 804-358-4771.
Furnishings for the disaster relief offices, including desks, desk chairs, filing cabinets, conference tables, visitor chairs and a credenza
Storage in the Diocese of Virginia for the office furniture, and transportation of the furniture from Virginia to Louisiana
A mid-size moving van to transport materials around New Orleans
Skilled workers to help complete the construction of a house for volunteers
Volunteers of all skill levels to gut houses
Interested in Volunteering?
If your church is interested in sending volunteers to the Diocese of Louisiana, Mr. Aiken and Mr. Clark can coordinate an informative session for interested parties to help jumpstart the mission. Contact Mr. Aiken at buckman356@comcast.net. Please keep in mind that volunteers in New Orleans must provide their own meals. The preferred length of stay for volunteer groups is one week, from Sunday to Sunday, and the need for both skilled and unskilled workers is great. Holly Heine, the volunteer coordinator for the Diocese of Louisiana, can be reached at hheine@edola.org for more information.
Monetary Contributions
For those who can’t make the trip to Louisiana, Mr. Clark points out the most reasonable alternative: “Almost all Episcopalians can donate money to help the recovery effort down there. And the donation does not have to be large. Many small donations add up.” St. Mark’s is currently accepting donations to go towards the purchase of a moving van for the Diocese of Louisiana. If you would like to make a monetary contribution, please make checks payable to St. Mark’s, and write “Gulf Relief” in the memo. Send checks to St. Mark’s, 520 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220.
Diocese of Virginia World Mission Website
If your parish has made a trip to the Gulf region to help with relief work, the Diocese of Virginia wants to hear about it. Share the story of your mission experience with others online at http://mission.thediocese.net. You can also add your upcoming mission trips to the online calendar.
Diocese of Virginia Involvement
informative session for interested parties to help jumpstart the mission. Contact Mr. Aiken at