Page Contents Headline News June Flooding Winter Flood Community Lutheran Partners, Inc. Flood Recovery Contacting CLPi Churchwide Ministries Lutheran Disaster Response L.A. Fires Hurricanes Helene and Milton Global Refuge Racism Justice Team Scouting

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Headline News

June Flooding

The following comes from Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.,

As I'm sure you are all aware, the Synod is being affected by flooding. Again.  This time the northern panhandle and north central WV are inundated.

As a reminder, financial donations are preferred, and do not self-deploy to a flooded area.

The Zeffy link included (https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/donate-for-june-2025-flooding) will go to the June flooding. If you must donate physical items, please check with where you are planning to take it to see if they need and/or want it.

I am at Camp Luther this week and trying to keep an eye on this and 30+ middle-schoolers.

Please pray for all affected.
Thank you!
Deacon Mary

There are different ways to think about disaster response. One way that is helpful in situations like this divides disaster response into three phases: response, relief, and recovery. Put briefly:

1. Response involves the immediate effort to rescue people and mitigate further damage. This is usually done by emergency services (fire departments, EMS, police, search & rescue, etc.). The response phase is not a place for well-meaning but untrained volunteers. Not infrequently, would be responders become victims themselves, further stretching response resources.
   
2. Relief involves emergency shelter and feeding operations along with providing other necessities. The Red Cross and similar emergency relief agencies take the lead here. Financial support is needed to provide these basic human needs.
3. Recovery is the longest of all the phases. It cannot take place until the disaster area has been stabilized. This involves demolition, rebuilding, and mitigation operations. Volunteers are important to recovery efforts, but here too coordination and planning is vital not only to get the job done well but also to make sure that the volunteers themselves are safe and community resources are not overwhelmed. Working with established recover organizations like Lutheran Disaster Response is wise.

In any of these phases, consult with the experts. Pay attention to calls for assistance and follow instructions.

Winter Flood

The following comes from Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.,

February 15th brought devastating floods to southern WV. As an area already struggling with limited resources and accessibility, this will strain households and communities in many ways.

CLP has been working with WVVOAD and their member organizations to help our neighbors in the coalfields. CLP has been partnering closely with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) given the UMC presence in the area. CLP has also been in contact with Lutheran Disaster Response with an eye to long term recovery.

Financial donations still remain the best gift. A little here and there builds up so that more can be helped how they need to be helped. I know it may not be as personally satisfying for you, for that I'm sorry.

You can financially support CLP through PayPal, Zelle or Zeffy. https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/february-16-2025-flooding-in-southern-wv

CLP also lifts up UMCOR for support at https://www.wvumc.org/disaster-response.

CLP also recommends supporting LDR given their history of funding long term recovery. Shoveling mud out is just the first step. Rebuilding will also need to be done. https://community.elca.org/lutherandisasterresponse?_ga=2.31543677.293964459.1740148131-1677437046.1732555868

If you wish to volunteer to muck out, contact UMCOR, or a county Office of Emergency Management. The WVVOAD website also has a volunteer sign up portal (https://www.wvvoad.org/volunteer).

If you wish to donate things, email CLP so I can help you find a donation center. Too often everything ends up at just one or two.

• Bleach is a big wish item right now.
• They also need mold killing cleaner (this is one of the things financial donations help supply.)
• Large items they are going to need soon include fans and dehumidifiers.

I appreciate your concern and care for our neighbors. Thank you for what you do. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Deacon Mary, Executive Director, Community Lutheran Partners

Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.

You can visit Community Lutheran Partners, Inc., on Facebook. You may reach the Executive Director, The Rev. Dn. Mary Sanders, at
clpwvwmd@gmail.com or 304-506-3158.

Churchwide Ministries

Lutheran Disaster Response

Lutheran Disaster Response works in our neighborhood and around the world. To learn more about how you can support the work, visit the Lutheran Disaster Response website at https://www.elca.org/disaster. You can also follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook by visiting its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ELCALDR/) and hitting the "like" button.

L.A.Fires

Over the last few days, multiple wildfires have broken out across Los Angeles County in California, with over 100,000 people under evacuation orders. Sparked by dry conditions, strong winds and a limited water supply, these fires have destroyed homes and businesses and have led to injuries and loss of life. To learn more about the fires and how you can partner with Lutheran Disaster Response to assist in this time of need and in the long-term recovery efforts ahead, click here.

Hurricanes Helene & Milton

Relief and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton continue.

Right now financial contributions are needed more than people cluttering up roads trying to get in. Places to donate include but are not limited to:

• Lutheran Disaster Response
• LDR (Hurricane Helene Donation Interface) — if you want to designate your support for hurricane response (rather than LDR in general), select Lutheran Disaster Response: Hurricane Response in the drop-down menu labelled My gift will support
• LDR Carolinas (covering North and South Caroline): www.ldrcarolinas.org | Ruthann@ldrcarolinas.org
• Southeastern Synod Disaster Ministry Committee (ELCA synod covering Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama): https://secure.myvanco.com/L-YVZ1/campaign/C-106KM
  
• VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Assisting in Disaster)
• Tennessee VOAD: https://www.tnvoad.org/donate/
• Kentucky VOAD: https://www.kentuckyvoad.org/donate/
• Florida VOAD: https://voadflorida.wpengine.com/

Feel free to share this information.

Global Refuge

Gobal Refuge is the new name of Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service, but its mission of over eighty years has not changed. The history of Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service has its roots in the American Lutheran response to the suffering occasioned by The Great War. To learn more about Gobal Refuge, click here.

Racism