Thank you for your overwhelming generosity in response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.  So far, we have received over $800,000 in donations, mostly online.  Checks sent via mail are just beginning to come in, and we hope to raise much more.

An ERD assessment team has reached the affected region, and is currently meeting with local partners.  The reports have been devastating.

Across the affected region, Episcopal congregations are working overtime to meet the needs of people affected by Hurricane Katrina.  Churches have turned into disaster centers, offering food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless, and comfort to the bereaved.

Louisiana, our diocesan partners report, is in a state of complete upheaval.  The need is so overwhelming.  New Orleans is in total chaos, with tens of thousands of people still trapped and awaiting rescue.  350,000 evacuees from New Orleans have poured into Baton Rouge.  Vital resources are scarce across the state.

In Mississippi, fuel shortages are making it difficult for volunteers to transport emergency supplies to the people who desperately need them.  Many homes, communities, roads and bridges have been completely wiped out.  Six churches were leveled.  Those on the ground are overwhelmed by the enormity of their task.  In many parts of Mississippi, there is nothing left to repair; communities can only rebuild.

When Katrina struck Alabama, many were still living in temporary housing because their homes were destroyed in last year’s Hurricane Ivan.  Katrina was not as destructive as Ivan, but there was major damage and flooding in South Mobile and Baldwin County.  This state, like many others in the area, is now home to thousands of people displaced by the hurricane.

Clergy members, survivors themselves, have been working around the clock to provide critical needs and solace to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.  Please pray for them and for the people to whom they offer their support.