The 2017 hurricane season caused Puerto Rico unprecedented levels of destruction, devastating the lives of millions of people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and displaced.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is in communication with the leaders of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR), and was invited by MCPR to travel to Puerto Rico to plan for relief and recovery programs.
As part of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), UMCOR is pleased to learn of their collaborative success in sending medical supplies and other life-sustaining goods to Puerto Rico.
"UMCOR will continue to support Puerto Rico so that those who are served through MCPR not only survive, but thrive," said Cathy Earl, UMCOR's director of disaster response and U.S. partner relations. "We will be there for the long haul."
UMCOR will find ways to support the MCPR to receive and direct volunteers. UMCOR has thousands of people who are praying, giving, and working to undergird those who are hurting. UMCOR also has connections with NVOAD, FEMA, and other partners to strengthen our efforts.
UMCOR received many calls from several of the United Methodist conferences, including New York Annual Conference and Florida Annual Conference, who are seeking to respond to the influx of survivors from Puerto Rico. UMCOR anticipates supporting these conferences through funding and appropriate programs.
"The United Methodist Church stands in solidarity with Puerto Rico and the people of the Caribbean," said Thomas Kemper, general secretary of Global Ministries. "We can actively respond and be hope in Puerto Rico because of our partners and the generous people of the United Methodist Church."
In addition to our response following the catastrophic damage in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria, UMCOR continues to support the response of those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Bella DiFilippo, program area liaison from Communications for Global Ministries. Cathy Earl, UMCOR's director of disaster response and U.S. partner relations.
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, UMCOR Sunday calls United Methodists to share the goodness of life with those who hurt. Your gifts to UMCOR Sunday lay the foundation for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to share God's love with communities everywhere. The special offering underwrites UMCOR's "costs of doing business." This helps UMCOR to keep the promise that 100 percent of any gift to a specific UMCOR project will go toward that project, not administrative costs.
When you give generously on UMCOR Sunday, you make a difference in the lives of people who hurt. Give now.
