e-HUM Flood Update for June 13, 2008

e-HUM Announcement

Friday, June 13, 2008

If you have flood relief needs or wish to volunteer for flood relief, contact Jenni Walker, South Indiana Conference Resource Administrator at jenniwalker@mac.com or call 812-893-1760.

If you live in the Columbus District and need flood relief assistance, contact:

Becky Huff-Cook, Administrative Assistant
Columbus District Office, UMC
1531 Thirteenth Street, Suite 2100, Columbus, IN 47201
800-919-8162
www.coumc.org

For assistance in Bloomington and Terre Haute Districts, contact:

Jessica Lindsey
Bloomington District UMC Administrative Assistant
Terre Haute District UMC Virtual Administrative Assistant
1520 S. Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
800-919-8161 or 812-339-1445
Fax: 812-335-9473
bladmin@sicumc.org

EDINBURGH READY FOR VOLUNTEERS

According to Jenni Walker, South Indiana Conference Resource Administrator, the City of Edinburgh is now ready to receive volunteers, a Red Cross staging area has been set-up at Eastside Elementary School in Edinburgh. Please contact Doug Wright, 812-526-9771, ext. 1 for volunteer opportunities.

HERE A BLURB ANNOUNCING A SPECIAL FLOOD RELIEF FUND IN INDIANA

This statement is designed to be read during Sunday worship or included in a bulletin.

FLOOD RELIEF FUND ESTABLISHED FOR INDIANA FLOOD SURVIVORS

During the past week, hundreds of Central Indiana families have been displaced from flooded homes. Many residents are without flood insurance. Both South and North Indiana Annual conferences of our church have established a special Indiana Flood Fund to assist flood survivors get back on their feet. One-hundred percent of this fund will go to flood survivors in Indiana. When given through the church, your gift is tax deductible. These funds will be distributed to people in need through our congregations by the South Indiana Conference Disaster Relief Coordinators. Thank you for your generous gift.

This past week the United Methodist Committee on Relief gave $10,000 for initial flood relief. More than 600 flood buckets have been received by Indiana United Methodist Churches.

Again, thank you for your prayerful support during this difficult time.

Download a short PowerPoint presentation about flood relief here.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP FLOOD SURVIVORS THROUGH THE STATE

Gov. Mitch Daniels announced more ways for Hoosiers affected by severe weather in Indiana since May 30 to receive help. Application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance is done by telephone or online. The application may be found at this link: www.disasteraid.fema.gov/IAC/. The telephone number is 800-621-FEMA (3362) or 800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) seven days a week.

Family and Social Services Administration offices and Work One Centers in every approved county have computers available for individuals to use to apply for FEMA assistance. A list of locations for those offices and centers may be found at this link: www.in.gov/gov/files/Press/locations.pdf.

Beginning Friday morning at 9 a.m., a toll free resource line will be operational to help direct residents to resources. The number is 888-880-3749 and will be available 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The first three one-stop disaster assistance centers will open Friday morning. Wherever possible, the state is partnering with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross at these centers. The first three centers will be located in Bartholomew, Morgan and Vigo counties. They will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday, the centers will begin regular hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The centers will be open Monday though Saturday. – Howey Politics Indiana

GOVERNOR DANIELS TO HOST FEMA DIRECTOR

Gov. Mitch Daniels will host FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison in Indiana on Friday afternoon. Paulison will be traveling in flood-ravaged areas of the Midwest tomorrow and is expected to arrive in Indiana at mid-afternoon. The governor will meet him in Martinsville at the the state’s disaster assistance center at approximately 3-3:15 p.m. The location is Poston Road Elementary School, 139 East Poston Road in Martinsville. A media briefing will conclude the visit. Before Administrator Paulison’s arrival, the governor will travel to Jasonville in northwestern Greene County. He will talk to firefighters, National Guardsmen and other first responders who have been assisting with Jasonville’s water crisis. He will be there at approximately 11:45 a.m. The governor will then travel to Terre Haute and stop at the state disaster assistance center, which is opening Friday morning at Booker T. Washington Community Center. Daniels will be there at approximately 1:15 p.m. – Howey Politics Indiana

HOOSIER AGRICULTURE IN PERIL SAYS DANIELS

Damage to Indiana’s farms is much worse than initially feared, Gov. Mitch Daniels said Thursday after touring farmland with state Agriculture Commissioner Andy Miller (Indianapolis Star). “I had hoped to find the damage to our agricultural sector might be limited or might be recoverable,” Daniels said. “It appears much more likely that the damage is severe and will not be salvageable in many cases for the balance of this year.” Many farmers, he said, “feel it is highly unlikely they will be able to replant.” Livestock farmers also face pressure from soaring feed costs. Daniels said he will investigate easing up environmental and other rules on rebuilding at the state and federal levels to help farmers recover. He said he will talk this morning with federal farm officials about the issue. “We’ve got some very serious problems out there,” Daniels said. “There’s a very wide array of possibilities here (for assistance), and I’d hope there’s enough for each farmer to pick up and move on, but we saw some folks who are in pretty serious trouble.” – Howey Politics Indiana