Dear Friend,
After several weeks of urgent activity, I am glad to be able to update you on AFSC's response to Hurricane Katrina and what we are doing to prepare for Hurricane Rita.
AFSC was one of four organizations that quickly pledged $1,000,000 each to support Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston's Operation Compassion, which coordinated feeding in the Houston Astrodome. We had intended that funds from this initial grant be used to help Katrina evacuees in the Houston area, but the approach of Hurricane Rita has put these plans on hold until we see how the situation develops. We also contacted and have remained in touch with Friends Meetings in the affected area as well as contacts from past program work in the region.
On September 10, the AFSC Board authorized an additional $1,065,000 to underwrite short and mid-term work. The proposal includes support for Quaker Meeting and African American organizations responding to Katrina as well as funds for AFSC offices working with evacuees. An assessment team of six will begin a three-week tour of the Gulf Coast region on October 1 to see where AFSC can best assist in longer term recovery work. A second team of two will be connecting with contacts from AFSC's civil rights era work in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. A national coordinator and up to 15 crisis responders will begin short-term operations and lay the groundwork for longer term operations.
Rebuilding from Katrina will take years. Prior to having reports from the assessment teams, we assume that AFSC will focus on the working poor, African-American and immigrant communities. Contributions received for hurricane relief will support this work.
AFSC also will be mounting a significant public response to the failures in social policy that have been laid bare by Katrina. Natural disasters exacerbate inequities that existed before the catastrophe. Weeks of television images have given Americans painful evidence of how true this is. Several op-eds and commentaries have already been submitted to the national press highlighting how cuts in the social safety net have left too many Americans vulnerable in the face of a disaster.
AFSC's emergency response team continues to meet regularly to monitor and plan our ongoing Katrina response and to see what role AFSC may play in responding to Hurricane Rita. The directors of the Southeast and Central Regions are playing leadership roles in the coordination of local work. We are updating the website regularly and have an FAQ to answer basic questions about our response.
Cash donations continue to give AFSC the most flexibility to respond to the situation on the ground. AFSC is not collecting clothing, hygiene kits, or other goods. Those interested in hosting evacuees are encouraged to contact local agencies working with evacuees in their area or to visit the volunteer database at MoveOn.org. Those who wish to assist with food aid should contact America's Second Harvest at www.secondharvest.org.
Recovery and rebuilding from Katrina and, as of today, Rita will be a matter of years. We must prepare ourselves to assist our brothers and sisters for the long term. We thank all of those who have supported us in this most important work.