Hurricane Harvey: A Message from UMVIM, SEJ's Executive Director

Hurricane Harvey has left its mark on Louisiana and Texas.
Sadly, the disaster is on-going and more than likely will get worse
over the next few days.

Here are a couple of ways you can help right now:

- Give to the UMCOR Domestic Disaster Response Advance
#901670. The Advance is a great tool we have as United
Methodists to show our support. 100% of what you give will go
to the relief effort.
- If you are ERT trained and certified, put down your car keys
and organize with other ERT trained individuals in your local
church and community to be ready when the call comes for
teams. It may be weeks, or even months, before the request
for teams comes in. The pain and loss that victims feel will
continue long after the camera crews have left—and that’s
when we are needed most.

Here are a couple of things that are NOT helpful:

-Letting your need to help draw the attention away from the
needs of victims in the affected areas.
-Repeatedly calling or emailing the Rio Texas Conference or other
affected areas in the next few days and letting them know you
want to help. The disaster is on-going and their resources right
now should be focused on managing the disaster—not phone
calls of potential volunteers. They will let us know what they
need, I promise.
-Getting in your car and going to the affected areas, or donating
used clothes and other items that may not be needed.
We will be updating our website with new information as it comes
in.

The Rio Texas Conference has a webpage set up at riotexas.org/
harvey for you to stay informed.

Thank You,

Matt Lacey
Executive Director
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, Southeastern Jurisdiction