Dear Chaplain Colleagues,
Last year, I emailed you seeking assistance for the victims of the four catastrophic hurricanes
that hit Florida. No one could imagine that things could be worse than those back to back
natural disasters.
Hurricane Katrina has changed those assumptions. Yes, we need you now. We will need you
in the months ahead. And, we know that there are still many unknowns. We have 9 huge
operations underway in the Southeast. Today, Wednesday, August 31st, at noon we had
three mobile kitchens up and running and serving hot meals. By Friday, September 2nd, we
will be serving 550,000 meals at lunch. However, we know that we do not live by bread
alone.
Those evacuated from the Superdome in New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston will
receive services provided by the American Red Cross and our partners including counseling.
Our plans, though changing hourly, are to embed our chaplaincy partners into Disaster
Mental Health, Mass Care, and Family Service. We also know that we will need to support
the people supporting the people.
But, those in the "AstroDorm" join thousands already in shelters as far away as El Paso,
Corpus Christi, Atlanta, and Little Rock, which has fifty shelters opened by various groups
including Red Cross. We need to characterize this as a flood of Domestic Refugees and
tailor our thoughts around providing services to those who have nothing to return to. Many
have pre-existing needs.
Once again, we're dealing with extreme hardship deployments. You will be working without
electricity, or air-conditioning, and, perhaps without hotel rooms. Some of you may be
sleeping in staff shelters. We're asking for you to volunteer with us for a two week
assignment.
A large modern American city has never been evacuated before and rendered uninhabitable
for months. Lives have literally been washed away. Those who didn't have much to begin
with have lost everything.
I need volunteers to work in shelters---and be flexible and patient and go to where the need
is greatest---and work as a team member and valued Red Cross partner. I don't know where
Red Cross will be sending you as I write this, but, we value your safety above all, and will not
knowingly send you into harm's way.
After lives are saved, after the water goes down, we will be faced with tremendous human
needs. This will be larger than what government can do. This will be larger than what the
American Red Cross and our NVOAD partners can do. There will not be instant
resolution. But, we must act immediately to serve those so profoundly in need. We are
providing emergency needs, and we will be part of long term recovery. There is a place in all
phases of this disaster for you to serve.
Attached please find multiple forms. Hopefully, many of your questions will be answered
and we will hear from you. There are specific job descriptions and general descriptions.
We're recruiting for all activities and you will be challenged. Many of you may have no prior
disaster experience and we will train you and orient you to each disaster response and service
delivery plan. I'm also including forms beyond our chaplaincy partners, for our mental
health and nursing colleagues who may also wish to help. I urge you to be patient and
flexible with the enrollment and deployment process since this is an immense undertaking in
the movement of human and material resources. These people are our neighbors. They
need our help now. Thanks for your willingness to serve.
If you're interested in volunteering now, please fax these forms back with your signature
with the enclosed fax cover sheet.
Earl Johnson
Volunteer Partner, Spiritual Care Response Team
American Red Cross NHQ
2025 E St., NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.303.8642
202.303.0241 fax
SAIR is now SRT.
The Air Team is now the Critical Response Team.