The Reverend Gil Furst was the Director of Lutheran Disaster Response on 9/11. We are very grateful for his enormous contributions to our collective response to this unprecedented disaster on behalf of the church in collaboration with many partners in the years following the attack. Here is his recollection of how we witnessed God’s hope and light in the midst of destruction and darkness in the aftermath of this seminal event.

Dear friends in Christ,

Fifteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, our lives were radically changed. The World Trade Center destruction in New York and the Pentagon attack near Arlington, Virginia, are among the most significant events in our lives. The needs of those directly affected (e.g., those who lost loved ones, traumatized children, people who lost income, persons harmed or terrified), as well as those who felt the ripple effects of the tragedy, were incalculable.

The scope of the needs was unprecedented. Death totals exceeded many town populations in which our congregations are located. Over 3,000 children lost at least one parent, and tens of thousands of children lost a family member. The Lutheran Counseling Center in New York received 100 calls per day for emotional and spiritual help. Seven ELCA Synods and five LCMS Districts were directly impacted. Nine separate Lutheran social ministry organizations were part of the response. A new agency, Lutheran Disaster Response of New York, was established to focus on coordinating the New York response. As in every disaster, new needs continually arose as the recovery progressed.

The response of the Church was extraordinary. By the end of 2001 nearly $8 million came in directly to the ELCA and LCMS. The insurance fraternals, Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood, provided an estimated $10.7 million towards a coordinated Lutheran response, with each fraternal contributing $1 million of corporate funds. But the costs were equally extraordinary.

By the end of 2001 $2.7 million was granted by LDR for specific ministries in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. By the end of 2002, LDR granted to the three responding areas a total of $6.8 million. By the end of 2003, LDR granted to the three areas a total of $9.5 million.

The responses in New Jersey and Washington D.C. concluded at the end of 2003. LDR-New York continued to provide services and coordinate multiple organizations to provide assistance for unmet needs until September 2008.

At the height of the New York response, over 137 separate programs were in operation. Working with the addition of interfaith funding, private organizations, even international donations, the total income for our Lutheran response neared $27 million. Long after other agencies and denominations closed their offices, LDR continued its ministries. As is usually true, the Lutherans were among the first to respond and the last to leave.

The initial components of the response included:

• counseling directly-impacted children, adults, and families
• providing for emergency needs of individuals and families
• supporting the 21,000 students in Lutheran schools (47 students lost primary care-givers in the destruction), including counseling and tuition assistance for children whose families lost their livelihood
• direct care for “Ground Zero” rescue workers
• providing case management for unmet needs of the bereaved and unemployed
• individual emergency assistance
• respite care for clergy, rostered Church leaders, and school staff
• long-term training of clergy for trauma response
• preparing “Camp New Ground” day-camp materials for children traumatized by the attacks
• preparing and distributing recovery materials
• supporting interfaith initiatives in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.
• supporting Church World Service multi-denominational programs.
• advocacy for immigrant and undocumented persons

As the response continued into its second year, new components were added:
• Lutherans led in coordinating dozens of organizations to provide assistance to unmet needs
• “Project LIFE”, a case-management program, was developed to help people access available assistance
• “New Ground” day camps were offered to community children through Lutheran congregations and schools, thirty-eight camps held in New York and New Jersey in the summer of 2002
• Individual and group counseling was expanded
• caregivers were trained for their ministries and provided with respite care
• congregational “ministry teams” were trained to provide care in their communities
• case management was provided to distribute non-profit grants to the economically impacted
• care was given to clergy and school teachers providing “on the ground” ministry
• support was given directly the families of victim’s
• counseling was provided for people traumatized by the disaster
• working with undocumented workers and others who lost employment due to the disaster

IN NEW JERSEY
740 New Jersey commuters died when the World Trade Center towers were attacked and collapsed. Support was provided for leaders and individuals, unmet needs (in partnership with 128 individuals and agencies), post-traumatic stress counseling network of 15 behavioral healthcare agencies), 15 congregations provided bereavement support groups, grief support, economic assistance, disaster preparedness, and immigration support.

IN WASHINGTON D.C.
The 9/11 Pentagon attack created a loss of life, a loss of neighbors and colleagues, a loss of jobs and income. Children in Lutheran schools were also affected. One school of 200 children is located near the Pentagon. Children on the playground heard the impact of the plane, saw the fire, heard the sirens. LDR offered extensive long-term trauma counseling to them. LDR also ministered to entry-level workers, immigrants, and new citizens affected by economic issues

Special thanks must be given:
• to our national Church leaders who offered Gospel hope by their presence: the Rev. H. George Anderson (ELCA Presiding Bishop), the Rev. Gerald Kieschnick (President of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), and the Rev. Mark S. Hanson (ELCA Presiding Bishop)

• to the three synod bishops and district presidents who provided incredible leadership for their affected judicatories: President David Benke (Atlantic District) and Bishop Steve Bouman (Metropolitan New York Synod); President William Klettke (New Jersey District) and Bishop E. Roy Riley (New Jersey Synod); Bishop Ted Schneider (Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod) and President Arthur Scherer (Southeastern District)

• to the three LDR coordinators who provided creativity and passion to the Church’s efforts: the Rev. John DiMatteo (Lutheran Social Ministies of NJ), the Rev. David Pearcy (LSS of the National Capitol Area), and John Scibilia (LDR New York).
• to Elaine Richter Bryant and the Rev. Jerry Rux, who served as associate directors of LDR

September 11, 2001, raises images of dust-covered firefighters climbing stairs to rescue people from the World Trade Center towers, and exhausted emergency workers climbing huge piles of rubble searching for survivors. But there are also images of pastors and chaplains offering words of hope or consolation to stunned and shocked survivors. There are teachers calming upset students. There are congregations gathering for worship, and neighbors praying with neighbors. There are piles of letters, offers of help, and generous donations.

Where was God in all this? God was in the ashes and the dust, in the destruction and the blood, reaching out in sorrow and compassion as our hands were reaching out to help. We who are in Christ are people of hope, changed by a resurrected Lord who is always present with God’s people. Where was God? God was there – and God is still there.

From the moment the first plane struck, the Church responded as the Church. And the Church continued to respond for the long haul. We do not come empty-handed to real life situations, even to situations as terrible and global as 9/11. We, the Church, were blessed to be called to serve at such a challenging time. Through your donations, through your prayers, you were there too, along with the firefighters, the recovery workers, the chaplains, the pastors, the counselors, the families of victims.

As in all disasters, those who suffer are supported by God’s healing grace. Those who respond are God’s enfolding arms and healing hands, providing comfort and renewal by word and deed.

Gilbert B. Furst
Retired Director
Lutheran Disaster Response

One year ago, Hurricane Sandy swept through the Caribbean and northeastern United States, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The areas were impacted with widespread flooding and fallen trees, which damaged and destroyed homes and businesses. Areas were without power and heat for several weeks. Water supplies were contaminated and the number of outbreaks of cholera increased.

People like you quickly responded with prayers and financial support to help the church assist our brothers and sisters through their recovery and rebuilding. Through your generous gifts, Lutheran Disaster Response raised more than $4 million to assist with Hurricane Sandy recovery. And because we are a trusted partner, the American Red Cross granted us $1.9 million to support our commitment to assist the millions of people affected by Hurricane Sandy. This grant has enabled us to expand our response efforts.

Working with our partners in the U.S. and in the Caribbean, we have played an active role in the recovery process.

Maryland – Working with Diakon Social Ministries, we have served 81 households, rehabbed 52 homes, helped in the construction of two homes, and have begun construction of six other homes in Maryland. Disaster case managers are matching client needs for counseling, health issues or food support. More than 130 volunteers have given their time and energy to help this community rebuild.

New Jersey – Partnering with Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey(LSM/NJ), we have provided more than 30 unmet-needs grants to help families cover hurricane-related expenses not covered by FEMA or insurance, such as rental assistance and repair costs. A volunteer hosting site at Reformation Lutheran Church, in partnership with Long Branch Covenant Church, has housed more than 125 volunteers, culminating in more than 896 volunteer hours for site support. We also helped bring Camp Noah to New Jersey – a fun and safe environment that has helped more than 90 children heal after Hurricane Sandy.

New York – With Lutheran Social Services of New York, Lutheran Disaster Response is providing case management for more than 260 families to assist them with unmet needs. We’ve also provided lodging for more than 60 volunteers, culminating in more than 1,400 hours of rebuilding in Queens, N.Y.

Cuba – Working with the Cuban Council of Churches, a partnership of 20 Protestant churches, Lutheran Disaster Response provided food security, water, shelter, roof reconstruction and livelihood restoration to more than 1,000 families.

Haiti –In collaboration with The Lutheran World Federation and the Lutheran Church in Haiti, Lutheran Disaster Response worked to drain excess water to help reduce the risk of cholera outbreaks following the hurricane.

Recovery from disaster carries on long after the headlines change, and so does our work. In New York, New Jersey and Maryland, we continue to provide volunteer coordination, home reconstruction management and disaster case managers, who advocate for individual families’ needs.

Please continue to pray for the people and communities affected by Hurricane Sandy as they continue to restore their homes, lives and hope.

August 29, 2005 is a day that is seared into the memory of the people in the New Orleans area. That was the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall. Exactly seven years later, on August 29, 2012, Hurricane Isaac impacted the same area. Isaac was not as powerful as Katrina, and the primary area of damage was a bit different from that of Katrina’s. But as I often say, “It may not be a huge disaster, but to the people impacted, it was a life changing event.”

I visited the areas impacted by Isaac about a month later. Plans were being made to help the families recover from the storm. The Monday after my visit, Super Storm Sandy hit the East Coast (October 29). Since then, the majority of the disaster community’s attention has been on our Sandy response. This past week, I returned to New Orleans to check on the state of the recovery after Isaac. You see, we at Lutheran Disaster Response are concerned about all those impacted by disasters; we are committed to helping communities recover even when they are not in the media’s attention.

Through our affiliate, Lutheran Social Services of the South (LSSS), we are working to provide disaster case management in two of the twenty-six Parishes receiving these services, namely St. Tammany and Washington. Washington Parish has some 27% of the households living below the federal poverty level and nearly 24% of the population has a disability. Due to all of the economic and storm related stress, St. Tammany has recently experienced a rash of suicides. So while there are other areas of need in the state, by focusing on these two Parishes, LSSS will be making a huge impact on the lives of those affected by Isaac.

Our local Program Director is Jessica Vermilyea. Jessica, along with Mark Minick from LSSS, has many years of experience working in the Louisiana area following Katrina. They are uniquely positioned to be able to navigate the complex nature of this recovery since many of the people impacted by Katrina were also impacted by Isaac.

Some of the unique challenges to this recovery work include the fact that homeowners are facing high deductibles, from 3 to 5% of the cost of their homes. Many of the people did not receive any assistance from FEMA because either they were not able to keep up their flood insurance because of cost, they did not know they had to do so, or because insurance companies are asking for Katrina repair verification before paying claims. This verification can be a difficult thing to come up with—how many of us can find all of our home repair receipts from 6 years ago?

Despite these challenges, Mark and Jessica are hopeful they will be able to help dozens of people with their recovery, help people return to their homes, help people find the new normal for their lives. While the country has shifted its attention to many other disasters, we at Lutheran Disaster Response US will not forget the people impacted by Hurricane Isaac—please join us in remembering these folks in our thoughts and prayers.

Camp Victor, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under the sun. Ecclesiastes 3:1

I had the chance to visit Camp Victor at Ocean Springs, Mississippi, twice in the last three months and was deeply moved by its leaders and the ministry each time.  Camp Victor in its current location was started by Christus Victor Lutheran Church in 2006 as the continuation of its disaster recovery ministry for communities affected by Hurricane Katrina and Rita.  Not only has it been a sizable hospitality center, housing volunteers engaged in disaster recovery work, it has also been a service center providing case management and construction management for those deeply affected by the disasters. Here are some facts about Camp Victor: 

• It is housed in a county-owned 50,000 square foot box-shape building located in the middle of the tourist district of Ocean Springs, MS. It formerly belonged to the Swinger Garment Factory.
• It has dormitories and beddings for up to 250 volunteers.
• Through the years, it has received 50,000 volunteers from 50 states and 20 countries.
• Together, volunteers have provided 1 million service hours on more than 2,000 homes, translating into $19.5 million worth of labor.

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 From Left: Marriane Roberts, SALT Staff; Pr. Joe Chu, LDR; Pr. Elaine Berg, Conference Dean, Josh DeBartolo, Schoharie Recovery Inc. Director; Pr. Sherri Meyer-Veen, SALT President; Sarah Goodrich, SALT Executive Director; Ken Dingee, SALT Staff; Patsy Glista, Upstate New York Synod Assistant to the Bishop.

Committee meetings are rarely interesting material for storytelling. But how a meeting is conducted and how participants interact with one another during the meeting can help tell the bigger story of the personalities of those involved and the level of their collective accomplishments. In the past few months, I have had the opportunity to attend and observe a number of Long Term Recovery Committee meetings that seek to help those affected by disasters in various communities. I am truly amazed by how different these committees can be: Some are highly organized and effective and some are dominated by one or two strong personalities. Unfortunately, some are still finding ways to become a coherent body after a long period of time.The board meeting of Schoharie Area Long Term (SALT) at Cobleskill, New York, in the early morning hours of February 5, 2013, definitely belongs to the first kind – highly effective and exciting.
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In the US, Lutheran Disaster Response carries out our recovery work through a network of 39 affiliates located across the country. These affiliates are really the major strength of our program, allowing us to respond locally from a local perspective. One of these affiliates in Pennsylvania is Liberty Lutheran, whose disaster ministry Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern Pennsylvania, has been helping coordinate volunteers in response to Hurricane Sandy and flooding from last year’s Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee.

To help share about this work they recently sent out a great print piece highlighting some of their volunteers and why they dedicate the time. It’s a quick read that really gets at the heart of why we’re engaged in this vital and active ministry. Check it out below and follow the links to learn more about the individual stories.
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Since the devastating impacts of Hurricane Sandy, many generous volunteers and donors have come forward to help Lutheran Disaster Response, Eastern Pa., (LDR-EPA) make a vital difference in the lives of our neighbors who were affected.

Here are just a few examples of people who are working hard to assist those in need:

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	For Scot Guldin, volunteering with LDR-EPA has brought his family closer. “We often take time out after volunteering to do some scripture reading and reflect on the day. My daughters are very good, sharing people, and I think it’s because of experiences like this” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.” Click here to read more about Scot
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After Hurricane Sandy, Ken Nygard wanted to help, so he joined LDR-EPA volunteers for a full day of cleaning up homes in Bucks and Montgomery County. “I enjoyed connecting with other people who wanted to do good. It was a very rewarding experience. I felt like I was a part of a solution.” Ken said. Click here to read more about Ken
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	Stan Wilhelmson volunteers locally with LDR-EPA, and has traveled places such as Mississippi and Tennessee. “These disasters are acts of nature. We become the acts of God,” he said. Click here to read more about Stan
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Learn more: Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern Pennsylvania