Gulf of Mexico oil spill
The Situation:
The spread of oil continues in the Gulf of Mexico after the April 20th explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform. After nearly three months, the oil has spread to the beaches and marsh lands of all five states that border the Gulf Coast. For the many still struggling to recover and rebuild from the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes, especially those impacted by Hurricane Katrina, this latest catastrophe is another in a chain of disasters. The impact will be felt for months and years to come, both by those directly impacted like those in the commercial fishing industry, but also those impacted secondarily like those in the tourism industry.
ELCA Response:
Access the ELCA Disaster Response Blog page .
In collaboration with the other members of National VOAD and Church World Service, Lutheran Disaster Response continues to assess the needs of the many people affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. One unmet need that has clearly emerged is for emotional and spiritual care, specifically for young people. This is an area where we as Lutherans have a proud heritage, by providing programs that address the emotional needs of children and teens who have experienced a trauma or disaster.
Two such programs -- "Camp Noah" and "God's Can-Do Kids" -- have proven effective in helping young people to cope with their fears and anxieties of disasters and are well respected in the disaster response community. These programs, which are similar to a Vacation Bible School and range in length from two days to a full week, offer children and teens a chance to cope and heal through games, crafts, stories and other activities.
Seeing this need, the ELCA, through Lutheran Disaster Response, has made a disbursement from the undesignated disaster fund to host these programs in the Gulf Coast states, beginning with a program in Pensacola, Florida during the last week of July. The undesignated fund allows Lutheran Disaster Response and its affiliates to participate in "Readiness and Response" activities in the absence of a major funding appeal. To contribute to this Readiness and Response fund, and support Lutheran Disaster Response in providing children's programs for those affected by the oil spill,
click here.
What you can do: