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CWS Hurricane Katrina Response -- Part II: Reaching Out -- New Friends/Partners in Mississippi

Rev. Gerald Hudson and kids playing with items from the 'Recreation Kits". CWS has sent nearly $1 million in material resources to seven states responding to the needs of families affected by the hurricane. Photo: CWS

September 23, 2005

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi communities are coming together to address the needs of thousands of families whose lives have been turned upside down. CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons (DRRLs) Tom Davis, John Sims, Lesli Remaly, and Cherri Baer are working throughout the state, concentrating on smaller, less publicized communities. In areas north of the Gulf Coast, which have received little media attention, Davis and Sims are engaging area churches in long-term planning and connecting them with local, state, and national voluntary organizations and government agencies that are working to build viable and effective recovery programs.

"You can often find the best information about family needs through their communities of faith," says Davis. "The connections we're making assure engagement of the entire community in the recovery process."

Davis and Sims are also establishing new relationships in the heart of several Mississippi communities where families, with what little they have, are helping relatives and strangers alike who are displaced from their homes in the Gulf Coast and Louisiana.

"I'm so excited and grateful," said Rev. Gerald Hudson, a valuable contact Davis and Sims have made in the Meridian area. "Through the blankets, health kits, and recreation equipment for the children, we truly feel the spirit of caring from others, and we as a church and community, are encouraged to share this gift with our brothers and sisters throughout the state."

"Religious leaders are often beacons of hope, help, and healing, in times of crisis, and have the confidence and trust of the people they serve," Davis adds. "Our resources and support, on a national level, helps amplify the voice of an integral part of the community that may otherwise be overlooked or neglected."

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

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