Episcopal Relief donations have far-reaching impact

During the month of September and also at our 2015 Diocesan Convention’s opening Eucharist, we raised funds for Episcopal Relief & Development’s work with refugees fleeing Syria.

Photos above from Episcopal Relief & Development’s blog  and the video below give a glimpse into some of what those funds do. To stay informed on more of what Episcopal Relief & Development is doing, sign up here.

It has been five years since the start of the Syrian conflict, which has displaced over 11.4 million people – half the country’s pre-conflict population. Responding to the needs of children with disabilities who have fled with their families to neighboring Jordan, the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf (HLID) has been working in the Za’atari Refugee Camp since 2012.

At the center, children with disabilities learn sign language and communication skills. Children with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable in the chaotic environment of a camp, and their needs are often overlooked. Adults also receive training in teaching these skills; many of the adult trainees were teachers in Syria and are glad to use their skills again.

Disaster Relief in the United States

Episcopal Relief & Development works in the United States as well, in disaster relief efforts. Here are a few excerpts from the most recent “Lamplight” newsletter produced by the US Disaster Program. Sign up here to receive the newsletter.

Flint, Michigan

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan has been responding to needs of residents in Flint, Michigan, since last fall, when testing uncovered very high levels of lead in the municipal water system. Episcopal Relief & Development has been partnering with the Diocese of Eastern Michigan since October 2015 in their relief efforts.

Episcopal Church in Navajoland

For several months now, our partners in the Episcopal Church in Navajoland have been responding to needs in Bluff, Utah and Upper Fruitland, New Mexico following a dam break last summer in southwestern Colorado, which caused neon-yellow, contaminated water to surge into the Animas River.
The river winds its way onto the Navajo reservation, where it is the major source of water for many local farmers. Episcopal Relief & Development partnered with the Episcopal Church in Navajoland on two projects: St. Christopher’s in Bluff is providing clean water to residents, and St. Michael’s in Upper Fruitland is providing emergency assistance to affected persons. The situation continues to be difficult, as it is not clear how clean the water is now and what will happen this planting season.

Louisiana and Western Louisiana

Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the response efforts of the Episcopal dioceses of Louisiana and Western Louisiana, following storms that knocked out power and caused widespread flooding across the state. Both dioceses are working through local churches and community ministries to care for vulnerable people and assist with needs such as food, fuel, temporary housing and supplies to clean and repair damaged homes and other property.

Are you willing to help out with disaster response? Consider signing up on the US Disaster Program’s “Ready to Serve” volunteer database to let disaster coordinators know what skills you have that you’re willing to offer.

Also, take a look at The Episcopal Asset Map, and fill out the survey for your congregation if there are ministries and facilities you know of that are not yet listed on it. Filling out the survey is a quick task, and anyone can submit information; you do not have to have any specific role in the church. The information will be reviewed before it is published, and the listing for your congregation can be updated multiple times.

Would you like to help your congregation be better prepared in the event of a disaster? Take a look at “A Season of Resilience” – this five-week set of worship bulletin inserts provides tips for being prepared.