September 4 , 2007
As Americans reflect on the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita two years ago and determine what more they can do to help, the extraordinary work of faith based organizations must not be overlooked. It was the churches and other community-based organizations that were among the first to render assistance as shelters or distribution points for life-sustaining resources in the immediate aftermath of the storms. That work continues.
The Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, the leading international Christian missions’ agency of African American heritage, is engaged in one of the most robust faith responses to the unprecedented natural disaster--to date, dedicating $2.5 million in project funds from churches and individuals committed to the cause.
“People will need a creative complement of programs and services to augment the resources made available on a short-term basis by government agencies,” said Lott Carey Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dr. David E. Goatley, who also serves on the NAACP’s National Board of Directors. “Our goal is to go beyond the initial phase of relief to help the people of Louisiana and Mississippi prepare for the road ahead.”
Through its Resurrection Resource Centers (RRCs) Lott Carey is helping people displaced by the storms to rise again. RRCs make available information networks and empowerment programs designed to assist evacuees in a full array of local, state, and federal resources available to them including employment assistance and requisite training to get them employed; mental health screening and services; aid in locating and paying for housing; free legal consultations; on-going nutritional supplements through food distribution and coaching for pastors serving in post-Katrina contexts.
More than 2,000 delegates also attended the 110th Annual Session of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention in New Orleans days before the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall. Lott Carey delegates provided more than 2,100 hours of community service that included cleaning up neighborhoods; gutting hurricane damaged houses in preparation for renovation; painting an elementary school; planting vegetation, visiting nursing home residents and distributing food to people in need. Youth delegates sorted more than four tons of food that translated into more than 6,000 meals for those in need. Bringing the convention to New Orleans had an economic impact of more than $1 million to the city, particularly benefiting those working in the hospitality industry.
The Fountain Project is a ministry response to the hurricanes funded by Fountain Baptist Church in Summit, N.J. The $1 million, two-year project will fund scholarships for adults to institutions of higher education leading to expansion of their employability, enhance the quality of life for individuals and families through life skills training, grant awards for essential or innovative ministry efforts and support the launch of a Community Development Corporation. Lott Carey will administer the project.
Lott Carey’s efforts are one example of the many organizations and individuals from the faith community across the nation that have a sustained commitment to assisting the survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita put their lives back together. To learn more go to: www.lottcarey.org.
Founded in 1897 by Baptist leaders committed to Christian missions outside the United States, the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention helps churches extend their Christian witness by providing financial support and technical assistance to indigenous communities around the world in evangelism, education, and health programs and services.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
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