Churches join in Crop Walk for Katrina victims
Date September 29, 2005
Katrina, the category four hurricane that devastated parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, has been met with a category five surge of compassionate response. On Sunday, Sept. 18, a small group of residents congregated at the Westport Point United Methodist Church to see how they could help people whose homes were destroyed and jobs lost. 
Amy Porter, Northern New England assistant director for Church World Service (CWS), presented an informational program on the organization's international and domestic activities. Founded after World War II to respond to refugee and hunger crises, Church World Service is a faith-based humanitarian agency of 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations in the United States. Its international work extends to humanitarian projects in more than 80 countries.
One of its five major programs, the emergency response program, has nearly 60 years of experience in disaster relief. In a constant state of readiness, it hit the ground running just hours after Katrina struck.
"We're first responders for basic needs and medical supplies. We go in with the Red Cross and we work local churches to make a grass roots response," Ms. Porter said. The organization works with faith communities, social service agencies and emergency management partners.
The reason Church World Service has been able to respond so quickly is that the money raised by Crop Walks is used to stockpile emergency supplies and pay for the infrastructure that administers the relief. These "walks" raise money for local hunger-fighting agencies and confront the root causes of hunger. Since the 1960s, the walks have raised millions of dollars for its core programs, including the emergency response program.
Westport walks
On Sunday, Oct. 2, and Sunday, Oct. 9, Westport will participate in its second annual Westport-Dartmouth Crop Walk. Four local churches are involved, the Westport Point United Methodist Church, the Westport United Congregational Church, the Westport Friends Meeting House and the Allens Neck Meeting House.
"We like to work together," Rev. Jim Schutter of the Pt. Church said.
"We're permitted to designate 25 percent of proceeds to be distributed locally," Rev. Schutter said.
Like last year, that amount will go to the First Baptist Church's Branch Community Dinner in Fall River and the Market Ministries Shelter in New Bedford. The remaining proceeds support CWS programs including Katrina relief.
The second annual Westport-Dartmouth Crop Walk is scheduled rain or shine at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2. The 10-kilometer walk will begin at the Way Back Eddy and end at the Allens Neck Friends Meeting House. A spaghetti dinner will follow the walk.
A second Crop Walk will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9, for people unable to walk on Oct. 2. It will begin at the Westport Point United Methodist Church on 1832 Main Road. Organizers have set a goal of 100 walkers and hope to raise $5,000.
Ms. Porter stressed that the Katrina recovery effort could last years.
"Since we will be in the gulf region for the long-term recovery efforts, some of the money raised in this fall's Crop Walks will certainly go there," she said.
Church World Services will be holding 2,000 Crop Walks 2,000 around the country. The funds raised will help the organization to continue to provide lifesaving food, water and medicine to some 350,000 refugees in Darfur. Additionally, it will support its ongoing development programs in Afghanistan, Malawi, Indonesia, Nicaragua and Africa.
"The Crop Walks will also help us to be prepared when, God forbid, another disaster strikes," Ms. Porter said.
Longtime organist for the Point Church, Helen Whipple said, "I'm not able to walk but I'll raise money for the walk."
Rev. Schutter's wife, Joyce, said, "It's a great way to enjoy fellowship and raise money for a good cause."
Rev. Sue Moenius, pastor of the Westport United Congregational Church, said they had been putting up posters to announce the walks. Rev. Moenius will be driving the support van for people who might need help.
"We'll also make up a short walking route so people with limited strength can feel like they took part," she said.
Ms. Porter said she recently discovered the blankets CWS distributes in relief efforts world-wide are made by the Trans American Spinning Mills on Coffin Street in New Bedford. Church World Services has distributed hundreds of thousands of these wool and man-made fiber blankets over the years, including to countries devastated in the 2004 tsunami and to states devastated by Katrina.
For more information about the Crop Walk, call Rev. Jim Schutter at 508-636-2036.
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Within the first three days following Hurricane Katrina, Church World Service (CWS) delivered its initial shipment of immediate emergency medicines and supplies to Baton Rouge.~ As of 9/18/05, CWS has shipped more than $900,000 in donated material assistance to affected areas, including 18,100 CWS Blankets, 47,190 "Gift of the Heart" Health Kits; 704 CWS Kids Kits, and 3,360School kits.~~ In addition, CWS has processed a shipment of 20 Interchurch Medical Assistance Boxes to Louisiana, containing basic medicines and antibiotics for 20,000 people for three months.
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By Paul Tamburello
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