PWRDF issues appeal for victims of Hurricane Katrina

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is accepting donations to support church-backed relief efforts for victims of Monday’s (Aug. 29) devastating hurricane, Katrina, which killed at least 110 people in Mississippi and left tens of thousands homeless in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, and Cheryl Curtis, PWRDF executive director, have sent a message of solidarity and assurance of prayer to the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA). PWRDF said it would ask Canadian Anglicans to support the relief work of Church World Service, of which ECUSA is a member. Meanwhile, Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of ECUSA, today called on Episcopalians to donate to the Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), which has been helping dioceses in the areas affected by the hurricane. Bishop Griswold said he has been in contact with the bishops of Alabama, the Central Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Mississippi, who have told him of the “unimaginable ravages of the hurricane.” “As you would imagine, they are ministering to their communities the very best they can under extraordinarily difficult circumstances,” said Bishop Griswold in a statement. “Communication is tenuous, and in some cases impossible.” He added: “I ask you to donate funds to the work of ERD such that our brothers and sisters in Christ will have the resources needed for the monumental task of reconstruction and rebuilding.” Reuters reported that Katrina’s wrath left behind “hellish scenes of death, damage, and chaos.” Hundreds were stranded on rooftops, while others who either ignored warnings or had no means to evacuate remained trapped in inundated homes; about 80 per cent of New Orleans was reported to be under water. Officials in the affected areas said hundreds more are feared dead and millions left without electricity and water in the aftermath of the hurricane, which packed winds of 224 kilometres an hour. Insurance companies have estimated the losses at more than $US30 billion. If you would like to make a donation for the victims of Hurricane Katrina through the PWRDF, you can send a cheque out to “PWRDF, USA Hurricane Katrina Relief,” and mail it to PWRDF, The Anglican Church of Canada, 80 Hayden St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2. For credit card donations, contact Annie Au-Yeung at (416) 924-9199 ext. 355. Please do not send your credit card number or information by e-mail or fax. Donations to ERD can be made as follows with an indication that they are designated for hurricane relief: via ERD’s Web site at www.er-d.org; by calling ERD at 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129 Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard time; by sending a check payable to Episcopal Relief and Development, Box 12043, Newark, New Jersey 07101-5043.