An outpouring of
concern
Presbyterians have contributed $1.2 million since
Sept. 11 terror attacks
by Evan Silverstein, Presbyterian News Service
[10-26-01]
ALSO:
Church World Service is expanding its Afghan
refugee aid to provide both family shelter kits and 6-months supplies
of food. [10-26-01]
LOUISVILLE - 23-October-2001 - Members of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) have opened up their pocketbooks to support
relief efforts in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon.
Presbyterians have contributed more than $1.2 million
through PC(USA) channels since the Sept. 11 strikes, according to
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), which is coordinating the
denomination's assistance effort. More than $300,000 was collected in
the first two weeks after the attacks.
Six weeks after the tragedies, donations have slowed
but are still coming in at a steady pace, PDA officials say.
"It's a very generous response from the
church," said Stan Hankins, the PDA's associate for U.S. disaster
response. "I'm not sure where it's going to top out at."
Presbyterian contributions, which have ranged from $5
to $27,000, came primarily through church offerings, congregation
mission budgets and individual donations made over PDA's
Internet Web site. Among the contributors were partner
churches of the PC(USA), such as the Presbyterian Church in Canada,
which gave $6,000.
PDA has used some of the money to support a variety of
initiatives, including $110,000 New York City Presbytery is using to
help survivors and others affected by the attacks.
PDA also sent $20,000 to Church World Service (CWS),
the relief and development arm of the National Council of Churches, to
cover part of its disaster-response expenses, including the placement of
consultants in the field to help coordinate and plan the ecumenical
response to the tragedy.
Funds also were provided to Faith and Values.com for a
live Internet "Webcast" on Oct. 22, a discussion of
faith-based responses and resources.
According to Hankins, officials at New York City
Presbytery will use some of the money to meet the direct needs of
disaster survivors, including families that lost loved ones.
"Secondary" survivors, including those who lost jobs or income
because of the attacks, also will benefit.
"The presbytery will be working closely with
governmental and voluntary agencies to ensure that no one is overlooked,
and that aid is distributed according to need," Hankins said.
"The economic impact ... is widespread, and affects tens of
thousands of people."
Funds also will be used to offset expenses the
presbytery has incurred in organizing its response. This includes the
cost of hiring a coordinator and establishing an administrative
commission to manage the effort. Some donations also will be used to
organize retreats for church leaders and their spouses and to pay for
pastoral-care training.
In addition, some of the money will be used to meet
the needs of people forced out of their homes by the destruction; to pay
for long-term counseling and pastoral care for survivors and caregivers;
and to enable presbyteries in the New York City area to hire counselors
to care for pastors and church leaders.
"We will continue to work closely with affected
presbyteries in the New York City area on ways to identify how the funds
can be used to assist those most in need," Hankins said.
Shortly after the attacks, PDA gave $10,000 to the
Presbytery of New York City to help with its relief efforts. Another
$10,000 went to Church World Service to help cover the cost of its
immediate response.
On the international front, PDA has provided $450,000
from designated giving and the One Great Hour of Sharing offering to CWS-Pakistan
to pay for shelter kits and food for Afghan refugees. Another $50,000
went to the Middle East Council of Churches for refugee relief in Iran.
Americans nationwide have raised more than $1 billion
for the relief effort, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
The American Red Cross has received the most - about
$452 million. On-line donations topped $52 million in the first three
weeks, but have fallen off to just about $2 million in the past two
weeks. Local chapters across the country have reported many single
donations in excess of $5,000.
The September 11th Fund, created by the New York
Community Trust and the United Way of New York City, has raised $171
million. About $150 million was raised through a September 14th
telethon, United Way is overseeing the distribution of that money. Three
high-powered benefit concerts to aid terrorist victims, held last
weekend in New York, Washington DC, and Nashshville, TN, raised more
than $17 million.
The Salvation Army has raised about $35 million, and
the Families for Freedom Scholarship Fund, endorsed by Bill Clinton and
Bob Dole, has raised $8.9 million to underwrite the education of the
children of the attack victims.
