CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod, is helping residents of Guam recover after Typhoon Pongsona struck the island in December.
Lutheran Disaster Response provided a $10,000 grant to support Church World Service typhoon recovery efforts on Guam.
"This is the second major typhoon this island of 150,000 people suffered in the last five months," said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director, Lutheran Disaster Response.
"According to preliminary estimates, more than 2,000 homes were destroyed as the typhoon tore across the island with up to 180 mile-per- hour winds," said Furst.
More than 3,200 people were housed in emergency shelters located at public schools, Furst said. The shelters were expected to remain open until the end of December. -- -- --
DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors
of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.elca.org/disaster
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org