Financial Update

A homeowner returning.
Photo: Joe Williams, PC(USA)

As of November 30, 2007, nearly $27 million in funds have been generated for hurricane response, pastoral care, volunteer villages and church property damage relief in response to the overwhelming needs in the Gulf Coast caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005. During this same period, almost $13 million has been expended in relief efforts as part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s long-term approach to disaster response.

Immediate Response

The devastation of Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita was unprecedented in the United States, causing more than 1,800 deaths and more than $81 billion in damages. The entire infrastructure for recovery was destroyed within a several hundred mile region along the coast. Presbyterians responded immediately with funds and by organizing mission trips to assist in the recovery efforts. Presbyterian response has been coordinated by the General Assembly Council’s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) program. PDA was active immediately, and the General Assembly Council has been involved at each step in the process. In September 2005, only a few weeks after the disaster, the Council approved a statement of pastoral concern regarding domestic disasters and supported the Emergency Response Appeal initiated by staff.

Long Range Plan

In March of 2006, the Council approved a long-term strategic allocation plan for responding to Gulf Coast needs over a seven-year period. The plan was based primarily on maintaining a structure that enables the fullest possible participation of Presbyterians in the recovery process and that allowed Presbyterian resources to be available to help those least able to recover without outside help. The plan also focused on long-term community recovery, the role of the Inter-Agency Task Force guiding relief efforts in the Gulf, facilitation of relationships and volunteer management, as a means of leveraging the initial response for the more sustained long-term recovery effort, which would be needed.

Volunteers in New Orleans. Photo: David Barnhart, PDA

The March 2006 plan has been very effective at realizing its objectives. The relief effort in the Gulf has been one that has captured the imagination of congregations across the country, giving them tangible ways that they can realize Presbyterian connectionalism and encounter God’s compassion through direct service to those in need. The nearly $10 million spent on hurricane response and volunteer villages to date has resulted in leveraged resources that produced:

• 35,000 volunteers, providing
• more than 178,000 volunteer days of service, worth an estimated
• $21 million in volunteer labor, plus an additional
• $95,000 in donated materials.

Teams have returned from the Gulf Coast with a revitalized heart for mission inspired by working directly with those in need. Many teams have made return trips and have formed relationships across the geographic distances that divide Presbyterians. The March 2006 plan has made Presbyterians instantly recognizable in the region as the “church in blue t-shirts” that continues to send work crew after work crew into the region with a desire to help rebuild.

Over $2.2 million has been used to assist congregations in the rebuilding effort, as determined by the Inter-Agency Task Force, composed of representatives from the six General Assembly agencies, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and representatives from the Synods of the Sun and Living Waters.

Ongoing Reports of Our Work

Regular reports from the General Assembly Council have highlighted the details of this recovery effort, including the 2005 and 2006 annual reports for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the General Assembly Council.

(Order the PDA 2006 annual report online)

In August 2007, a special two-year report was published. In addition, the 2005 Hurricanes Web site for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance contains extensive links to detailed information describing the work done with these funds, including financial reports, video segments and interviews with homeowners, volunteers and Presbyterians from the region.

Allocation of Remaining Funds

As of the end of November 2007, just over $13 million remained available in existing funds to fulfill the extended long-term ministry needs in the region. In early December, presbytery leaders and PDA met in Slidell, Louisiana, for a face to face discussion about the long term recovery effort.

In January 2008, representatives from the five presbyteries most affected by the hurricanes of 2005 (New Covenant, South Louisiana, Mississippi, Peace River and Tropical Florida) gathered with their synod representatives and staff from the General Assembly Council to review the recovery effort thus far and make allocations of the remaining funds. Representatives affirmed that allocating the expenditure of the remaining funds over the next few years is critically important to the church’s witness and ministry in disaster response.
 
Each presbytery presented its plan for ministry in the region over the next four to five years and a request for the funds necessary to accomplish that ministry. Together with PDA, the synod and presbytery representatives agreed upon a five-year plan for recovery ministries in the region. If fully implemented, the plan will require $2 million in funds beyond what is currently available, but each of the partners is stepping out in faith that those funds will be made available.  The ministry plans will be reviewed regularly for effectiveness. 

Funds are disbursed to the presbyteries quarterly, based on the plan. The funds for first quarter 2008 have already been sent to the region.
The presbyteries and PDA have scheduled a conference call for the spring for a check in and a meeting in the fall of 2008 to update the budget for 2009 based on expenses of 2008.

Beyond the need for funds was the need for laborers to accomplish the physical tasks. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, through the Presbyterian Volunteer Villages and the commitments of the whole church to work for recovery in the region, will be an essential component of the work force necessary to make productive use of the funding allocated to each presbytery. 

Continue to pray for all who are involved in responding to this disaster, in the midst of great difficulty. Governmental funds have begun to be exhausted, yet needs remain. The needs exceed the presently available Presbyterian funds as well. Pray for those in the Gulf who continue to seek hope after a devastating loss. May the words of Isaiah 41:5-6, 10 ring true for all those affected by the hurricanes of 2005 in the Gulf Coast:

“The coastlands have seen and are afraid, the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come. Each one helps the other, saying to one another, ‘Take courage!’ do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”