Disaster Relief for Hurricane Sandy

From http://www.lcms.org/page.aspx?pid=1600

LCMS Director of Disaster Response Rev. Glenn Merritt said that it is too early for volunteers, including chainsaw crews, to travel to the storm-affected areas. He stressed that material-good donations have not yet been determined. If and when these volunteers or material goods are needed, the LCMS will publicize the needs.  

“The best thing people can do at this time is to give financial donations [that] can be used to provide immediate aid and assistance,” said Merritt. 

To help:

• make an online gift (http://www.lcms.org/givenow/disaster);
• mail checks payable to “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod” (with a memo line or note designating “LCMS Disaster Response”) to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861; or 
• call toll-free 888-930-4438.

“What is really important is for us as the body of Christ in those places to be there first for the members of those churches and then especially for the people around that community, around that altar out in the community,” said LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison in a video update to the church. “They are the objects of love and care. It’s very important for us as the body of Christ across the United States to come support these districts in their time of need and to support our pastors and congregations in these times of need.”

To view all the LCMS videos about Sandy, visit: http://video.lcms.org/archives/category/disaster-response.

Sandy left a wide swath of devastation along the East Coast, killing more than 70 in the United States, wiping away hundreds of waterfront homes, flooding streets and subway tunnels, littering neighborhoods with debris and leaving millions without electricity.

Already, damages from Sandy, which came ashore Monday night in New Jersey, are estimated to be in the billions. Hurricane Sandy first made landfall in the Caribbean Oct. 24 and has been credited with 69 deaths in Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
In the last five years, the LCMS has provided more than $35 million for domestic and international disaster response efforts.  Keep up to date on the LCMS’ disaster response effort at www.lcms.org/disaster.