 |
Disaster Response
Mission Statement:
The Home Life Work Group focuses on how we
can support congregations
in the care of each baptized child of God, both
children and adult, who seek
to live out their faith in their daily lives.
Synod's Disaster Response Plan
Preparing for Disaster: A Guide for Lutheran Congregations
| |
|
Trucks and Drivers Needed for Hay Lift to Texas
The first deliveries of hay from the Northeastern Iowa Synod
to Northern Texas arrived Aug. 30, and 14 additional loads are awaiting
transportation arrangements.
The
hay lift is spearheaded by Pastor Harold McMillin of St. John Lutheran
(ELCA), Luana. While visiting with Texas residents at the ELCA Churchwide
Assembly in Orlando, Fla., last week, Pastor McMillin learned how Texas
ranchers were having to sell their herds due to a lack of food. McMillin
suggested a hay lift, and the three ELCA bishops from Iowa met with three
ELCA bishops from Texas to plan a joint project. They decided to designate
the Northeastern Iowa Synod as a pilot synod to get the hay lift project off
the ground. If this initial effort is successful, plans are for Iowa’s other
two ELCA synods to organize hay lifts statewide.
Five local farmers, including four from St. John Lutheran (ELCA), Luana,
have donated hay for the project. Lutheran Disaster Relief is contributing
$25,000 to purchase additional hay and to help pay for trucking costs. Plans
are to help the ranchers have enough hay to last until they are able to have
their own crops again.
The biggest challenge has been finding the trucks and drivers to deliver the
hay.
Anyone who has referrals for trucks or drivers should call Pastor Harold
McMillin, 563-880-5052, or contact the synod office,
319-352-1414 or email.
Visit the Hay Lift web page of the
Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod
"Iowa hay on its way to parched South,"
Waterloo Courier, 8-30-11 |
Northeastern Iowa Synod Haylift
August 2011
|
|
| |
|
Volunteers Needed for
Minot North Dakota Floods
In late June, record
flooding devastated the city of Minot, North Dakota, forcing nearly a
third of the residents to evacuate and leaving more than 4,000 homes and
businesses heavily damaged. Local residents have been hard at work, but
the task is too much for local volunteers alone.
As Lutherans, we're
experts at rolling up our sleeves when there is a need, and our sisters
and brothers in Minot need our help now. The goal is to have as many
flood-damaged homes gutted as possible before the first major snowfall,
which could be less than three months away.
This is an all-call for volunteers from
around the country. Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota
has set-up a volunteer hotline, and anyone interested in helping should
call
218-443-4970
to register. You can also visit www.lssnd.org
to find
volunteer registration
forms and other important information about volunteering.
Volunteers should be
18 and older (16 and 17 year olds accepted with signed parental
consent). All volunteers will need to have an updated tetanus shot
and will need to wear long pants and thick-soled boots or shoes.
Local congregations will provide basic housing, if needed, but volunteers
will likely need to provide their own food. Training will be done on
site, and it is helpful (but not necessary) if volunteers can bring some
of the following items: work gloves, goggles, N-95 grade air filter
masks, hammers, brooms, buckets, pliers, and crowbars.
Anyone with questions or concerns can also
call the Lutheran Disaster Response national office at 773-380-2863, or
e-mail Associate Director Mike Nevergall at
michael.nevergall@elca.org.
If your
congregation is interested in sharing transportation please contact Pastor
Mark Anderson at the synod office, 319-352-1414.
|
 Minot North Dakota 2011 |
|
| |
|
Floods
We continue to uphold in prayer those who have been affected
by the flooding in northeastern Iowa and throughout the Midwest. Lutheran
Disaster Response and the Northeastern Iowa Synod office work closely to
support congregations in their response to the long term effects of the
disasters in our area.
Read
more...
|
|
|
| |
|
Tornado
On Sunday May 25, 2008 at 6 p.m. CDT, an EF-5 tornado - at
times a mile and a half wide - touched down in Parkersburg, Iowa and
continued on the ground devastating Parkersburg, New Hartford and parts of
Dunkerton. The losses included eight lives, 240 homes totally destroyed and
400 more homes damaged.
Read more...
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
ICE Intervention
On Monday, May 12, 2008 the Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) agency, a division of Homeland Security, conducted a raid on Agriprocessors, a kosher meat packing plant
in Postville, Iowa. During the raid 389 members of the community of 2,300
were apprehended. Hundreds of Mexican and Guatemalan workers took refuge
in St. Bridget’s Roman Catholic parish where meals, clothing, and legal
assistance were provided.
Read more... |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
