Left and right: damage from Hurricane Florence. Center: CWS Cleanup Buckets and Hygiene Kits.
Emergency Appeal: Hurricane Florence
Appeal code: 628H – 2018 U.S. Hurricane Appeal
Situation
Hurricane Florence slammed into the North Carolina coast on September 14. The slow-moving storm drenched North and South Carolina with record-breaking rainfall. CNN reports that the storm has been responsible for 36 deaths so far, and thousands remain in shelters.
Deadly flooding continues to affect the region, hampering relief efforts as attention shifts from rescue to recovery. Many roads in and out of affected areas are blocked or flooded, which is an additional challenge in assessing damage and getting supplies to some of the hardest hit areas. FEMA reports that more than 100 roads are still closed in the Carolinas as of the morning of September 20.
CWS Response
We have responded to several requests for supplies in the wake of the storm. So far, more than 7,200 CWS Hygiene Kits, Emergency Cleanup Buckets, School Kits and Blankets have been mobilized for the response. We will continue to process requests as they come in. The link for requesting CWS Kits is on the website of the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, known as NVOAD.
As damage assessments and information from impacted areas continue to come in, our team is reaching out to local organizations serving refugee and immigrant populations to consider our long-term response. Reports indicate that farmworker communities in eastern North Carolina were hit particularly hard and need support. In conjunction with our local Immigration and Refugee Program teams, we plan to provide financial and technical support to these organizations and populations. We also plan to reach out to Long-Term Recovery Groups to offer financial and technical assistance.
CWS continues to convene the Development and Humanitarian Assistance Advisory Group, which serves as a space for ecumenical collaboration regarding the response.
Budget
Materials and Shipping: $50,000
Increased Staff Capacity: $26,000
Initial Assessment: $4,000
Small Grants to Local Organizations: $40,000
TOTAL: $120,000
How to Help
Donations can be made online at cwsglobal.org/florence or mailed to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515 (designate 628H – 2018 U.S. Hurricane Appeal).
To assemble CWS Hygiene Kits, School Kits or Emergency Cleanup Buckets, visit cwskits.org.