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RSSKatie Mears to Head Disaster Response Program
September 29, 2009
Episcopal Relief & Development welcomes Catherine (Katie) Mears as Program Manager for USA Disaster Preparedness and Response.
“We’re delighted to have Katie Mears on board,” said Abagail Nelson, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Senior Vice President for Programs. “Katie has been working with the Diocese of Louisiana, our program partner in post-Katrina community rehabilitation. On her first day in the office, she jumped right in to support the Diocese of Atlanta through last week’s flooding in the Southeast.”
The Diocese of Atlanta has been assisting churches such as Good Shepherd Episcopal in Austell, which opened its doors to people whose trailers were destroyed by floodwater. Canon Debbie Shew said, “Since the first hours of the growing disaster, [Episcopal Relief & Development] has been on the phone and in constant touch with us. Katie has been a constant partner, sharing practical ideas and information.”
Originally from Iowa, Katie is relocating to New York from New Orleans, where she has been working with the Diocese of Louisiana’s community rebuilding efforts. Partnering with people left homeless by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she directed a program that has trained thousands of Episcopal volunteers in basic building skills, gutted and rebuilt destroyed homes, and created an environment of pastoral care, respect and empowerment.
Katie also has supported the Dioceses of Iowa and Texas in developing responses to recent disasters: the flooding of the Mississippi tributaries in spring 2008 and Hurricane Ike’s destruction of Galveston last September. Prior to her time in disaster response, she was a community organizer and journalist. Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Grinnell College in Iowa.
“We have approved our strategic plan through 2012 with a high priority on domestic disaster response and preparedness,” said Episcopal Relief & Development President Rob Radtke. “Katie’s hiring is a major step toward our goal of helping U.S. dioceses prepare their congregations and communities to effectively respond to and recover from disasters.”
To support Episcopal Relief & Development’s domestic disaster relief efforts, please make an online donation at www.er-d.org or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. As an independent 501(c) (3) organization, Episcopal Relief & Development takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.
