Continued Support for Wildfire Survivors
NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2007—United Methodist Committee on Relief continues to offer support to those affected by the wildfires in Southern California. UMCOR personnel, including the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, head of UMCOR’s domestic disaster response, are working with California-Pacific Annual Conference in these initial days of disaster response.
UMCOR anticipates a long term response to these fires that caused nearly a million people to evacuate. Fortunately, many of them will be able to return home. Estimates put the losses caused by this rash of wildfires to be approximately half of what was lost in the 2003 fires.
“The generosity of United Methodists is once again apparent,” says Hazelwood about the many people who are eager to volunteer in the recovery effort. “These are early days in the recovery process,” explains Hazelwood. “Cash gifts are the best way to help the recovery effort right now. It will be some weeks before the situation is such that volunteers will be an effective help.” At that time UMCOR will notify the Jurisdictional Volunteer in Mission Coordinators. Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact the coordinator for their jurisdiction.
How You Can Help
To give to UMCOR’s work in response to the California wildfires, please make out your check to UMCOR and mail it to UMCOR PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write “UMCOR Advance #901670, Domestic Disaster Response, California Wildfires” on the memo line of your check. Visit UMCOR’s website at www.umcor.org for online giving information or call 1-800-554-8583 to give over the telephone. One hundred percent of every donation to any appeal, including appeals for California wildfires, goes to support the designated program.
