Disaster Relief

Donate to Haiti Relief Efforts

If you would like to donate, please make check out to First United Methodist Church and designate as “UMCOR-Haiti.” 100% of your donation will be used directly for disaster recovery efforts and humanitarian aid in Haiti.

United Methodist Committee on Relief Alert

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) estimate that there are 63,000pregnant women in Haiti out of the 3 million left homeless. They do not have access tomedical care and no sanitary way of delivering their babies. UMCOR has issued an alertappeal for birthing and layette kits.

Our local church mission committee, in search of a way to make a hands-on response,challenges every adult Sunday School Class to purchase the materials and assemble kitsfor the unborn children of Haiti.

Birthing Kit Items Value: $8 per kit
Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag:
• 1 hotel-size bar of soap (1 oz. and up)
• 1 pair of clean latex gloves
• 1 square yard of clear 4 mil platic sheeting
• 3 pieces of clean string each 12" long
• 1 clean single use razor blade (carefully wrap the blade in paper or platic to protect itand keep it from causing injury)
• 2 flannelette receiving blankets, each 1 square yard

Important Kit Assembly Information
• All items included in kits must be NEW items.
• All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number ofsituations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it isimportant that kits contain only the requested items, nothing more.
• Do NOT include any personal notes, money, or additional materials in these kits. Thesethings must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Layette Kit Items Value: $35 per kit
• 6 cloth diapers
• 2 shirts or 2 one-piece body suits
• 2 baby washcloths
• 2 gowns or sleepers
• 2 diaper pins
• 1 sweater open in the front
• 2 receiving blankets

Bundle the items inside one of the receiving blankets and secure with the diaper pins.Bring to the main lobby and place in the box labeled "UMCOR Birthing/Layette Kits".Questions? Contact Cecil Kirk at 422-4002.    

Volunteering

Volunteers In Mission - No Experience Necessary

If you would like to be part of a V.I.M. (Volunteer In Mission Team), contact Cecil Kirk at First United Methodist Church (731)422-4002, or Turn on JavaScript!.

Early Response

If you are already part of an Early Response Team and would like to help, contact your Area Team Leader (e-mail preferred):

Area 1 covers the two Memphis Districts
Team Leaders are:
Myrtle Brown - Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (901) 327-6980
Byron Crain - Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (901) 754-0754

Area 3 covers Brownsville, Jackson, and Paris Districts
Dan McCue is the Team Leader
Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (731) 584-5060

Area 4 covers the Paducah and Dyersburg Districts
Allen Burnett is the Team Leader
Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (270) 554-9405

Some Basic Information You Should Know in Case of Disasters

For continued updates go to the Memphis Conference Web Site: www.memphis-umc.org.

Stages of a Disaster

1. EMERGENCY PHASE (Usually of short duration, usually 3-5 days)
   1. During this time, Emergency Personnel are in charge. The role of the local church is to assess the damage of their church and parishioners and report information their District Superintendent and Joe Moseley at the Memphis Conference Program Ministry Office (731-664-8280) to report damage.
   2. Search and rescue is taking place in order to make things Safe, Sanitary, and Secure.
   3. Do NOT interfere with rescue or emergency personnel.
   4. If homes are damaged, discourage outsiders from entering the area unless they have legitimate business there.
   5. Communication will be complicated and many times facts will be wrong. Do NOT spread rumors or information that is hearsay. Tell only what you know to be facts.
2. RELIEF PHASE (Usually lasts up to ten times longer than the relief stage).
   1. This is the stage where Early Response Teams do their work and the Annual Conference begins organizing itself based on the needs of the community. We are here to serve their needs, not feed ours.
   2. If your church is involved in the clean-up: Do NOT do any repairs until the insurance companies and government have assessed the damage. If the disaster is federally recognized FEMA will open a Disaster Recovery Center or Centers.
   3. Assessment of needs continue including determining the need for Long Term Recovery.
   4. During this phase, Interfaith and Community Service Agencies may form.
   5. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), FEMA, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) are working to provide help for victims.
3. RECOVERY PHASE (Usually lasts up to ten times longer than the relief stage)
   1. The emphasis is on long-term community based organizations assisting in restoring lives, homes, and their community back to the way they were before the disaster.
   2. It is during this stage where volunteers are needed the most.

Ten Commandments of a Disaster

1. Thou shalt NOT be a gawker. Only go to the disaster site if you have an invitation to be in the area unless you have a legitimate need to be there.
2. Thou shalt NOT send any items such as bottled water, clothing, or other supplies to a disaster site unless you have verified the need and receiving point. It is essential to locate a reliable relief organization willing to receive the shipment of goods.
3. Thou shalt NOT go to a disaster site unless you have made arrangements for food and housing.
4. Thou shalt NOT assume that you know more than the local people.
5. Thou shalt NOT remove trees from over a house unless you have a signed release from the owner and they have contacted their insurance agent and all the official organizations.
6. Thou shalt NOT make repairs on a home that might jeopardize the victim’s eligibility from insurance and or government agencies.
7. Thou shalt NOT make personal judgments on anyone.
8. Thou shalt NOT make any promises you cannot personally keep
9. Thou shalt NOT make promises for someone else.
10. Thou shalt NOT be anything but a representative of Christ at all times.