UMCOR is on the ground in Haiti, partnering with other agencies to provide medical supplies and personnel, clean drinking water and other emergency relief. To learn more about their operations, please click here. Visit www.UMCOR.org often to see the latest on UMCOR relief efforts in Haiti.
Health Kits Urgently Needed Material resources at both of UMCOR’s relief supply depots are in short supply due to the overwhelming response to the Haiti earthquake. The depots are also continuing to respond to other countries’ needs as they respond to Haiti. The goal is to receive health kits and send them back out to Haiti as quickly as possible.
If your church is interested, instructions for the assembly of health kits can be found at UMCOR Health Kit Guidelines. Please be sure to follow these guidelines exactly, as this is critical to the timely shipping of these kits internationally.
Important: If your church assembles health kits, you will independently need to make arrangements to get the kits to the Sager Brown Depot in Louisiana. Information about how to get the kits to Sager Brown is in the guidelines, or you may want to join with other churches to deliver a supply of kits to the depot.
Option: If you prefer to donate toward the purchase of supplies instead of buying and shipping them, please give your financial gift to Material Resources, UMCOR Advance #901440.
Giving to this Advance project enables Sager Brown to purchase relief supply contents. Checks can be placed in your church offering plate or mailed to UMCOR PO Box 9068 New York, NY 10087. You can also give online at www.umcor.org.
Fundraising We know our caring and compassionate churches are praying and sending money, but we are also aware of your need to do more. Why not consider hosting a fundraiser for Haiti at your church? This could be something as simple as a bake sale, a flea market in the fellowship hall, a garage sale in the parking lot, or a spaghetti dinner. Get creative and get going!
Money raised can be donated to UMCOR Advance #418325 or mailed to the Florida Conference at 1140 McDonald St. Lakeland, FL 33801, with the check designated for 2010 Methodist Church in Haiti Relief #100190. One-hundred percent of the money going to UMCOR will go to relief efforts in Haiti; 100 percent of money going #100190 will go to rebuild the United Methodist Church in Haiti and for clergy support.
Please give! Churches can also take up a special collection for Haiti. Click here for a bulletin insert about financial gifts.
Other donations As part of the conference response, the Conference Committee on Haitian Ministry (CCOHM) and the Haiti-Florida Covenant need your help. The Bishop has asked these committees to work together to coordinate donations going to Haiti. If you are collecting material goods for shipment to Haiti, it’s important to coordinate those activities through the CCOHM. This will help avoid duplication of efforts while getting resources to those who need them most. Please click here to learn more about how you can help.
Worship During times of devastating loss, often the best thing we can do is join together in times of corporate prayer and worship. Consider uniting with others in your community to share your grief and renew your faith in the One who is faithful.
Bishop Tim Whitaker of the Florida Conference has taped a message outlining the ways Florida United Methodists can help at this time. This 2.5 minute video is designed for churches to download and show during worship this weekend or any time Haiti relief is being mentioned. Visit www.flumc.org for more information.
Volunteer teams Bishop Joel Martinez, Interim General Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, reminds us that now is NOT the time for volunteer teams. We need to allow the international relief agencies – including UMCOR – to do what they do best, without getting in their way. Click here to read Bishop Martinez’ memo to the Council of Bishops.
UMCOR has asked SEJ UMVIM to be the clearinghouse for teams from the SEJ wanting to help in Haiti. If you are interested in being part of a team, please click here to register. You will be contacted when Haiti is ready for teams, which is currently projected to be March or later.
For more information about the United Methodist response, please visit www.UMCOR.org and www.umvim.org. You can also visit www.flumc.org for links to these sites and more information. In addition, the Florida Conference’s e-Review is providing stories with a Florida angle. Visit www.flumc.info for more information.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Florida Conference Disaster Recovery Ministry: (800) 282-8011 ext. 149.
