UMCOR on USAID list for tsunami relief Jan. 4, 2005 By Linda Bloom NEW
YORK (UMNS) -- The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is
among the humanitarian agencies recognized by the U.S. government as
providing assistance to tsunami-ravaged countries. UMCOR
has had "long-standing cooperative relationship" with the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID), according to Jim Cox,
executive director of UMCOR's nongovernmental organization. "USAID
and UMCOR have jointly funded programs in both emergency and
development programs worldwide," Cox told United Methodist News Service.
"We work together on programs from the Congo to Afghanistan. We will be in coordination with USAID as we look at UMCOR's response to the tsunami." On its Web site ( www.usaid.gov
), USAID has a list of "Relief Organizations Working in the Disaster
Area" for Tsunami/earthquake relief. In addition to UMCOR, the agencies
listed include Church World Service and Stop Hunger Now. President
Bush announced on Jan. 3 that two former presidents – his father,
George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton – will lead an effort to raise funds
from U.S. businesses, individuals and foundations for tsunami relief.
The USAID list provides options for those donors. That private money will provide additional support to the $350 million already pledged in U.S. government funds. About
150,000 people were killed and millions were left without basic
services after the late December tsunami impacted 12 countries, mostly
in South Asia. As of Jan. 1, the United Nations reported, more than $2
billion in pledges for aid had been received from some 40 countries.
That amount is more than all pledges to all humanitarian appeals in 2004
combined, according to Jan Egeland, the U.N. emergency relief
coordinator. Representatives
of the denomination's humanitarian relief agency met Jan. 4 with
response partners today in Geneva, Switzerland, to gauge the scope and
effectiveness of the disaster recovery so far. UMCOR is working with
partners such as Church World Service, Action by Churches Together and
Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) to provide food, clean
water, and temporary shelter in the affected regions. Donations
to UMCOR's "South Asia Emergency" relief efforts can be placed in local
church offering plates or sent directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive,
Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Designate checks for UMCOR Advance #274305
and "South Asia Emergency." Online donations can be made by going to www.methodistrelief.org. Those making credit-card donations can call (800) 554-8583. *Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York. News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org
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