| NEWS UMCOR needs help The Baltimore-Washington Conference has requested almost $570,000 from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to help fund its case management work and other assistance to Maryland victims of Isabel. The conference also plans, with the help of volunteers, to provide or arrange for: - Crisis counseling for adults, youth and children traumatized by the storm;
- Pro bono legal aid to help remedy insurance coverage problems;
- Limited distribution of supplies through local churches;
- Volunteers in Mission teams equipped with tools and materials for repairing and rebuilding homes;
- Retired clergy to support overburdened pastors in affected areas; and
- Communications and administrative support.
By mid-October nearly 20 churches had contributed about $7,376 in response to the Bishops appeal for direct support through the conference and to UMCORs general Hurricane 2003 relief fund (Advance Project #982438). Some have sent donations directly to churches in affected areas. Contributions to the Bishops conference appeal and the UMCOR general appeal should be clearly labeled, addressed to Baltimore-Washington Conference Treasurer, and sent to the conference center, 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046-2132. Were thankful to God for the generosity of donors and volunteers to help thousands of victims of this terrible disaster, said Bishop Felton Edwin May. The money we receive on behalf of victims will be carefully accounted for and used responsibly to address appropriate human needs, in keeping with the fiscal stewardship mandates of UMCOR and the denomination. | Conference continues to aid Isabel victims By John ColemanUMCONNECTION STAFF While the Baltimore-Washington Conference begins offering long-term recovery assistance to victims of Hurricane Isabel, time is running out for the thousands who have not yet applied for federal emergency aid. The conference hired the Rev. Janet Deitiker, pastor of the Abingdon Charge, in mid-October as case management supervisor for its recovery effort. She has begun recruiting and training case managers and volunteers and will coordinate their work. Were building a team to provide efficient long-term aid through case management, said Deitiker, who, in addition to serving Cokesbury UMC in Abingdon and Calvary UMC in Churchville, is a licensed social worker for the state of Maryland. Our specialization in this area, thanks to the system developed by UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief), will ensure that people get the help they need from the different sources available, she said. Those sources are already diminishing, as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) support centers begin closing and the Red Cross and other agencies likewise begin scaling back their operations. Federal and state emergency management officials estimate nearly 13,500 Maryland residents in 23 counties and Baltimore City were affected by Isabel, the storm that struck on Sept. 18. Almost $18 million in federal aid had been disbursed by mid-October for temporary housing, home repairs, transportation, medical treatment, funerals, moving and storage costs and other expenses not covered by insurance. The deadline for registering to apply for aid with FEMA is Nov. 18. No registrations will be accepted after that date. To receive an application, residents must call (800) 621-FEMA (3362), or (800) 462-7585 for speech- or hearing-impaired callers. Some people find the application process confusing. To become eligible for a FEMA grant requires first filing a Small Business Administration loan application, even for homeowners and renters, because the SBA administers FEMA monies. If the loan is denied, the applicant may then become eligible for a grant. Failure to submit an SBA loan application will exclude residents from receiving government grants. In addition to many short-term volunteers, the conference may hire up to a dozen case managers for 6-12 months of recovery work, according to associate council director Sandy Ferguson. Two trainings in case management, held Oct. 2 and 23 at Bethany UMC in Ellicott City, prepared participants to interview and collect information from residents, assess their needs and provide accurate information about possible resources. Additional training events may be scheduled, according to Deitiker, who said she was inspired to apply for the supervisor position after hearing about the disaster recovery effort at a Baltimore-Harford District clergy meeting and later attending the first training. Deitiker said her stipend would be used to double the working hours of the Abingdon Charges part-time assistant pastor, the Rev. Linda Hopkins, while Deitiker supervises the case management operation. Were excited and grateful to have Janet helping us coordinate this disaster recovery effort, said Ferguson, and to have the dozens of other Good Samaritans lay and clergy who have come forward to offer their services. It shows once again that there are people in this conference who are willing to make sacrifices and put their love and faith into action to help others. The Rev. Andrea Middleton King, pastor of John Wesley UMC in Clarksburg, is also assisting Ferguson in managing the overall recovery effort. For more information on case management and volunteer needs, contact Janet Deitiker at
or 410-569-1550. |
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