Appeal code: 628H – 2018 U.S. Hurricane Appeal
SITUATION
Hurricane Florence slammed into North and South Carolina late last week, bringing with it record-breaking rainfall and extreme winds. “The storm is blamed for at least 23 deaths, and life-threatening floods are expected to continue all this week, the National Weather Service says,” according to NPR. Thousands of people took refuge in emergency shelters, and nearly a million households lost power because of the storm’s beating.
As the rain largely moves out of the affected areas, rescue and relief activities are underway. Initial recovery activities and assessments are underway to determine the extent of the damage. The primary threat to lives and property remains the massive flooding.
CWS RESPONSE
As part of the immediate response to the storm, CWS will provide material supplies to affected communities. This includes CWS Hygiene Kits, School Kits, Emergency Cleanup Buckets and Blankets. These are being shipped primarily from our main warehouse in New Windsor, Maryland.
Much of our long-term response will focus on immigrant and refugee communities, which are often among the most vulnerable and are groups that often face extra challenges in accessing relief funds or are hesitant to do so. To that end, our team has identified several local organizations who serve immigrant and refugee populations. Our response will likely include grants to organizations such as these to ensure that our refugee and immigrant neighbors are able to access the supplies and services they need to move forward. Additionally, we are in contact with our Immigration and Refugee Program offices in North Carolina to ensure that our refugee clients are recovering and connected to local Long-Term Recovery Groups as needed.
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.