Your church, through its denominational agencies, brought help and hope to victims of at least 11 disasters last year by responding to their physical and spiritual needs.

Hurricane responses included providing food, roofing material, cement, medicine, blankets, clothes, and household supplies. Food security projects will be developed in Central America in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB).

Hurricane Relief

  • Hurricane Beta, Oct. 30, Nicaragua: The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) provided funds for cleanup.
  • Hurricane Wilma, Oct. 21, Mexico (Yucatan), Cuba, and Florida: CRWRC provided funds for reconstruction and repair of homes in Cuba after hurricanes Dennis and Wilma. Additional funds went to relief efforts in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Missionaries serving with Christian Reformed World Missions in Mexico helped to assess damage and worked with local churches to channel aid in Cancun.
  • Earthquake, Oct. 8, Pakistan and India: CRWRC is working with partner agencies to respond to this devastating earthquake. Funds for relief efforts, including a matching donation from the Canadian government, were channeled through Action by Churches Together (ACT)—a global ecumenical body. Additional funds went to help people without shelter survive the winter.
  • Hurricane Stan, Oct. 7, Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, El Salvador: CRWRC provided funds to each of the three regions affected and worked with local partners to supply food and medical aid and to provide for long-term reconstruction projects.
  • Hurricane Rita, Sept. 23, Texas: CRWRC’s Disaster Response Services (DRS) sent more than 60 volunteers to help with the cleanup after Hurricane Rita. Volunteer managers met with local organizations to develop plans for reconstruction. CRC Chaplaincy Ministries helped support chaplains in the area who provided victims with spiritual and emotional care in the wake of the hurricane.
  • Hurricane Katrina, Aug. 29, Louisiana, and Mississippi: DRS sent more than 70 volunteers to the Gulf Coast to help with the cleanup. It helped evacuees who came to West Michigan through a donation program of clothing, personal care items, and toys. DRS also assisted evacuees who chose to resettle to other parts of the country and provided financial assistance to Christian Reformed churches that helped with resettlement. Funds have been allocated for long-term recovery, including building materials for reconstruction plus travel and living expenses for volunteer teams. DRS, in partnership with Partners Worldwide, is providing funds for economic development, including aid to small businesses in storm-ravaged communities.
  • Hurricane Dennis, July 8, Cuba, Florida, and Alabama: CRWRC’s response to Hurricane Dennis included providing funds to repair and rebuild homes.

Food Security

  • Drought, Oct. 05-Apr. 06, Malawi and Mozambique: Together with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, CRWRC is feeding 6,000 households for seven months.
  • Conflict in Darfur, Sudan: Last September CRWRC began the third phase of its response with CFGB, a 12-month, nutrition-based feeding program for 90,000 beneficiaries.
  • Drought and locusts, August 2005, Niger: CRWM missionaries worked with local churches to survey the areas worst affected and coordinate food distribution in partnership with CRWRC and Youth With A Mission (YWAM). CRWM and CRWRC are helping communities to develop long-term preparations for and responses to drought through formation of community cooperatives, grain banks, and improved farming methods.
  • Drought and locusts, April 2005, Mali: CRWRC and CRWM distributed a two-month supply of grain to families in the areas of Mali where they are working. The Niger and Mali food security projects are in partnership with CFGB.

—CRC Communications staff

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