Does UUSC have a
relief fund set up for victims of Katrina yet?
How will the aid be
used?
Is my contribution to the Gulf Coast Relief Fund tax-deductible?
What percentage of
my donation will be used for disaster relief?
Why is UUSC sending
donors to the UUA for this effort? Isn’t one of your new program
areas humanitarian crises?
Can I volunteer at
UUSC to help with the relief effort?
Can I volunteer in
the affected region to help with the relief effort?
Can I offer housing
to the evacuees?
Is the UUA or UUSC
organizing to deliver items of clothing or equipment?
What other
resources are available?
Does UUSC have a
relief fund set up for victims of Katrina yet?
The Unitarian
Universalist Association of Congregations and the Unitarian
Universalist Service Committee have established the UUA-UUSC Gulf
Coast Relief Fund to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
Please visit the UUA website
www.uua.org to donate online, or send checks payable to:
UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief
Please mail checks to this secure bank lock box:
UUA
P.O. Box 843155
Boston, MA 02284-3155
You can
designate your gift to be used in either of two ways:
1.
For community relief efforts AND for affected UU congregations,
so that their ministries to their communities can be restored,
or
2.
exclusively for community relief efforts.
How will the aid be
used?
Funds received will
be distributed under the auspices of the Southwest and Mid-South
Districts. A special panel has been formed to assess need and
organize UU efforts to deliver resources and aid where it is most
needed. Panel members include one representative from the UUA and
one from UUSC, in addition to two people from each of the two
affected districts. For information from the districts, visit
Southwest District (for Louisiana UU churches) and
Mid-South District
(for UU churches in
Mississippi,
Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle).
Is my contribution to the Gulf Coast Relief Fund tax-deductible?
Yes, your donation
to the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund qualifies as a tax-deductible
charitable gift. Please consult your financial and tax advisers
regarding your particular circumstances. For tax purposes: The UUA is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) charitable
organization. The UUA’s federal tax-exempt I.D. number is
04-210-3733.
What percentage of
my donation will be used for disaster relief?
At least 95 percent of your donation will be used to provide disaster
relief. The remaining 5 percent or less will cover the expenses
associated with collecting the funds, researching their best use,
and ensuring that we make as great an impact as possible.
Why is UUSC sending
donors to the UUA for this effort? Isn’t one of your new program
areas humanitarian crises?
UUSC and the UUA
have agreed to pool our resources in situations in which we believe
it makes sense. In the case of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the
UUA has district offices in or near the site of the disaster and the
congregations that have been directly affected. It makes sense for
the two organizations to coordinate their efforts, with UUSC lending
its advice and counsel as a human rights agency.
Both organizations benefit from this arrangement but, more important, our
relief work is better directed and more effective when we work
together.
Can I volunteer at
UUSC to help with the relief effort?
Because the funds
are being distributed directly to the UUA districts in the affected
areas, there are no volunteer opportunities at UUSC related to the
disaster. Check the district websites,
Southwest District
(for Louisiana UU churches) and Mid-South District
(for UU churches in Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle)
or visit
www.idealist.org or www.interaction.org
for links to information on volunteering.
Can I volunteer in
the affected region to help with the relief effort?
UUSC is preparing a
second response consisting of JustWorks projects in the affected
areas. UUSC staff will work with UU congregations, local relief
organizations, and others to help determine where the greatest need
for assistance will be over the next few months. UUSC wants to be
sure that we are in the places that people will have forgotten or
never reached, but we do expect to do at least one JustWorks camp in
the New Orleans area. Our plan is to hold a camp or two during the
month of February, when others have left but many hands will be
needed for cleaning and rebuilding. We will have more specific
details over the next few weeks and will post them on our website.
Can I offer housing
to the evacuees?
Yes, the Southwest
District is gathering information to match UU households with those
now homeless. Visit the
Southwest District website.
Is the UUA or UUSC
organizing to deliver items of clothing or equipment?
Reverend Mark
Edmiston-Lange and Reverend Jose Ballester (and other UU ministers) attended
an interfaith leader meeting Thursday, September 1, in Houston to
coordinate the responses of the faith community in that city. The
interfaith community agreed to focus on basic care: food and
hygiene. Subsequently, the group developed an action plan with
information, donation, and volunteer opportunities. Visit the
Southwest District website for more information.
What other
resources are available?
Please check the
UUA website and the UUA district
websites at www.uua.org/msd and www.swuuc.org
and see the resources and structures that are in place. On the home pages there are links to other pages: a
bulletin board for people to post their news and stories; a needs
matching page; a shelter resources page to register those offering
shelter and those needing it; a page of internet resources available
to those in need. (The Southwest District 800 number is also
dedicated to survivor needs.)
