As Hurricane Sandy blows inland today, World Renew is preparing to launch an initial response in hard-hit areas in New York, New Jersey, and other northeastern states.
“World Renew is working in partnership with Reformed Church World Service (RCWS) to get rapid responders into affected areas to clear trees, cover roofs, and check on isolated and vulnerable residents,” says Bill Adams, World Renew’s Director of Disaster Response Services (DRS). “News reports are mainly concentrating on major urban areas like New York and Atlantic City right now, but there are thousands of other coastal communities affected by Sandy’s wind, rain, and flooding that need help.”
Adams added that the organization is in contact with many congregations in States across the East Coast that are connected to the Reformed and Christian Reformed denominations and in communities affected by Sandy. “We are in the process of contacting pastors and churches in areas that are experiencing power outages and infrastructure failures that could last days or possibly weeks,” Adams said.
World Renew volunteers are already at work in Schoharie, New York, where Hurricane Irene dumped a foot of rain in less than 24 hours in August, 2011, and flooded homes and businesses throughout the community. Irene was one of a dozen storms that did $1 billion or more in damage across the United States last year. World Renew focuses on making long-term commitments to communities like Schoharie whose residents continue to struggle to recover from a disaster weeks, months, or years after the damage occurred.
World Renew anticipates launching a similar response to Sandy starting in the next few days as responders are able to enter the affected areas. Rapid Response Teams and regional managers are on-hold in relief staging areas with tarps, chainsaws, and tractor to clear felled trees and cover damaged roofs.
World Renew is appealing for funds to respond to Hurricane Sandy. World Renew DRS depends on financial donations to support its volunteers in disaster response in North America. World Renew assisted thousands of survivors after the terrorist attack in New York on 9/11, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Alabama super-cell tornadoes in April, 2011.
Support World Renew's 2012 hurricane response efforts. Give today.
Or mail your check marked "Hurricanes 2012" to:
World Renew US
2850 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49560
ph: 1-800-55-CRWRC
World Renew Canada
3475 Mainway
P.O. Box 5070 STN LCD
Burlington, Ontario, L7R 3Y8