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Dear friends in Christ,
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response and Community Development Services (Gaylord
Thomas, Director) of the Division for Church in Society are responding to a
fire in Dillingham, Alaska, that destroyed the Bristol Bay Regional Food
Bank. An emergency grant is being provided to the Alaska Synod, which,
through Lutheran Social Services of Alaska, will respond to the situation
on behalf of the ELCA.
Carol Warren, interim executive director of Lutheran Social Services of
Alaska, reports that the food bank (which was located in a rental facility)
- and all its contents - were totally destroyed.
This Regional Food Bank serves 18 Native Alaskan communities in addition to
the town of Dillingham. Most of its food is shipped to these communities
by air. Bishop Larry Jorgenson told me "the people sure need the service.
A two-year salmon-fishing crisis has caused severe food needs for the
people of the Bistol Bay area, and they've just come through a very hard
winter." This loss will have a major impact on their lives.
Pastor Ronald McCallum, of Dillingham Trinity Lutheran Church, indicates
that members of his congregation support the food bank by donations and
volunteers. In addition, some members have also been beneficiaries of its
services.
As we approach the end of Lent, please keep our brothers and sisters in
Alaska in your prayers and in you hearts. Let us remember all God's people
who are suffering the loss of life and property, that in us and through us
God's strength and presence may be known.
If you would like to help with this response, please send your
contributions to
ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response
PO Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
In Christ,
Gil Furst
GILBERT B. FURST (written on Tue, Mar 30, 1999, at 4:44 pm)
Director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (Division for Church in Society),
Lutheran Disaster Response (A cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LCMS)
8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493
Visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster
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