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Dear friends in Christ,
"NY Police step up subway security" was the headline on this morning's TV
news, and the item being reported on the local New York channel I was
watching. Another sense of siege and terror is in the hearts of many who
are travelling this holiday weekend.
I just returned this morning from meetings this week in New York. There
Jerry Rux (Associate Director, Lutheran Disaster Response), along with
national staff from the ELCA (John Halverson and Lita Johnson) and LCMS
(Linda Sanders), and I met with President David Benke (LCMS Atlantic
District), Bishop Stephen Bouman (ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod), and
John Scibilia (coordinator, LDR-New York).
The sense of "siege" is felt anew each day in New York, as bridges and
tunnels close because of unidentified packages, as reports of threats are
reported, as excavation of the World Trade Center site nears completion, as
individuals cope with issues of lost jobs and missing loved ones.
But there is also as sense of hope and support. Both President Benke and
Bishop Bouman wanted me to be certain to express deep and heartfelt thanks
to you for your prayers and financial support, and their pledge to "be the
church in this place." Their feeling of connection with people and
congregations across the country was strong as we got updates regarding
present "September 11: Comfort and Renew" ministries, looked at some new
initiatives, and made initial projections of needs over the next five
years. Included in those discussions was the issue of funding support.
Sometimes questions are asked regarding funds received by the ELCA Domestic
Disaster Response and Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of
the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) to respond to the
terrorist attacks of September 11. Such inquiries are understandable in
light of some questionable management by other responders of their 9/11
funds. When put into the context of other major church disaster responses,
and the careful way the church utilizes members' donations, there is little
difference in how the church is using its 9/11 income. The "September 11:
Comfort and Renew" funds are being utilized with extraordinary care and
more safeguards.
As Lita Johnson states in her report to the ELCA Synod Hunger Advocates,
"The ELCA's response to disasters in 2001 was amazing." As of January 31,
ELCA DDR received $4,128,292. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod received
$3,477,146. A major difference between this response and previous
disasters is that the insurance fraternals provided the opportunity for
their branches to designate their matches directly for Lutheran Disaster
Response. (The insurance fraternals are members of the Lutheran Disaster
Response Coalition). LB's incentive matching grant of $650,000 produced a
total of $2,741,235 from members and congregations that came directly to
the LDR budget line. This amount is "housed" and managed in the ELCA. AAL
and LB also provided direct funds to "LDR-New York." To summarize, the
total income for all Lutheran response is estimated to be $20 million.
The question is sometimes asked, "How will the church use those funds? Why
don't we just spend down the income instead of carrying balances?" There
are certain principles that are followed in disaster expenses: Here is a
list compiled by John Scibilia, our LDR coordinator in New York:
"The emergency nature of disaster often leads to the erroneous notion that
funds raised should be spent in a hurry. In reality, the opposite is true.
Here are some reasons why it is usually best for non-disaster organizations
to proceed slowly in determining how their funds will be best and most
effectively applied:
* There is a secular/public disaster relief and recovery system in place
that is designed to meet most emergency and mid-term disaster-caused needs.
* Private funds, hurriedly applied to needs for which there are existing
government resources, would replace those government resources, then not be
available later for recovery.
* The historical role for private disaster funds is in long-term recovery,
as responsibility for recovery moves from government to the community.
* Better decisions will be made after understanding other funds and their
target beneficiaries.
* Similarly, better decisions will be made after analyzing community
recovery programs as they develop in response to needs.
* As impact and needs analyses emerge, information will develop on which
more informed decisions can be based.
* Hasty decisions can result in oversubscription to some needs, while other
go unaddressed.
* Disaster recovery programs are required for a surprisingly long time
after an incident occurs. There will be a large, active caseload five years
from now. Funding will still be needed then.
* Long-term needs emerge in every disaster that cannot be known in the
early stages. This is especially true in this terrible incident, which has
caused such massive loss of life, livelihood and emotional peace."
One primary principle is that the donor's intention must always be honored.
Funds accrued for disaster response ministries cannot be utilized for
non-disaster related expenses. A second principle in disaster responses is
to spend other "non-church" monies first, and save church funds for last.
Over $1.5 billion has been collected by private and non-profit
organizations. It is good stewardship to leverage those funds and multiply
the church dollars, which are few compared to that total. This enables the
church to be involved for many years, long after the other agencies and
organizations have departed. The church will be involved in the 9/11
response "for the long haul." I estimate Lutheran Disaster Response will
be involved in some way for at least eight to ten years, perhaps longer.
LDR is still involved in providing ministry in Oklahoma City almost seven
years following the bombing of the Murrah Building. The unprecedented
impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York, New Jersey and Washington
D.C. is still being measured. While the church received an amazing amount
of income, the expenses have also been (and will continue to be) amazing.
Since September 2001, DDR and LDR have expended a total of $3,186,469 in
New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and other affected areas (New
England, Pennsylvania, Virginia). Included in that amount is $182,000 to
support interfaith networks in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.
through Church World Service.
In New York, special fiscal safeguards were put into place due to the large
nature of that response. Seventy-five separate budget lines have been put
into place. Some of the larger items in the 2002 budget projections are:
* Direct emergency Assistance - $300,000
* "Project LIFE" (work with directly affected individuals/families)-
$578,000
* "Camp New Ground" (up to 100 weeklong day camps for children
traumatized by 9/11 (3,000 who lost parents) - $506,000
* Counseling and support groups - $337,000
* Lutheran Schools (tuition support, counseling and intervention for 21,000
students, 42 who lost parents) - $415,000
* Working with immigrant/undocumented persons - advocacy - $75,000
* Respite care for rostered church leaders - $59,000
* Ministry with leaders/individuals (New Jersey) - $70,000
* Ministry with leaders/individuals (Washington D.C.) and two agencies
working with economically impacted - $208,000
Here are some broadstroke illustrations. One major big focus is on
traumatized children. There are some 21,000 students in 140 Lutheran
parochial schools. Forty-two students lost a parent/primary caregiver in
the twin towers. LDR consultants from across the country are working with
local child specialists to provide direct ministry to youth from pre-school
age through adolescence. Curriculum and staffing for "New Ground" -
weeklong day camps - are being developed. It is projected that sixty to
one hundred camps will be offered this first year in New York and New
Jersey for over 2,000 children.
"Project Life," a parish-based program in partnership between LDR and
Lutheran Social Services-MNY, is providing a network of case management
throughout the city. Especially sought are people affected by September
11th who are easily overlooked: the undocumented, the service industry and
minimum wage workers, and others who have little or no support systems.
The church is providing help to them, walking them through the maze of
services and funds and counseling toward a path to the future.
Other major foci:
* care for the clergy/school teachers who are providing direct ministry "on
the ground"
* working with victim's families, helping them to access the billion
dollars collected for their assistance
* providing counseling for people traumatized by the disaster, through our
Lutheran counseling agencies.
* working with the undocumented workers and others who have lost employment
directly due to the disaster.
These are some of the anticipated expenses for fiscal year 2002. This
response, like all disaster responses, has had a shift in focus from the
initial chaos. The needs and the dynamics continue to change. There will
be others, and there will be more. What ministry-needs will be in the near
and distant future can only be anticipated. But God has especially gifted
our Lutheran church with social ministry organizations, synods and
districts, congregations and members that are wonderfully linked and
networked to provide compassionate ministries. As the church we have the
experience and credibility to provide cutting-edge leadership in this and
other response.
Our church, through and Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod) will continue its mission of bringing together the
resources and efforts of our members to people in need, and reaching out to
others with Gospel hope and help.
Yours in Christ,
Gil Furst
GILBERT B. FURST (written on Fri, May 24, 2002, at 2:35 pm). Director for
ELCA DOMESTIC DISASTER RESPONSE (Division for Church in Society) and
LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS)
8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493
Please visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster
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