Rev. Daub:

I was out of the building yesterday and today, and will look into the problem with the Donor Care line as soon as I get in tomorrow morning. I do know that, because of planned leave periods, a number of the staff who man that line are out and we were working a plan that involved some volunteers.

In-kind donations of materials, such as that you are describing, will almost certainly be needed. That said, we are taking our cues from the pastors and district staff, in concert with out disaster response team led by Rev. John Fale. My suspicion is that the infrastructure for accepting, storing and disbursing in-kind donations is being set up, but is not yet in place. I also know that Synod, Inc. does not have the infrastructure to receive and transport in-kind donations (trucks, storage space, etc.).

So, I would ask that you hold those donated items until the system for receiving and distributing them to affected families is in place. That may take several more days.

For other readers, the encouragement to provide financial donations now is important. Donations made this early in a response effort will go to helping families via gift cards, where they can purchase items needed at local stores (such as Wal-Mart or other discount department outlets.) This provides them with basic needs such as underwear, socks, personal hygiene products and the like. And each family can determine what it needs most, so the gift cards provide a measure of control that packages of items do not. As resources allow, larger grants targeting relief work can be made. Eventually, as in the case with Superstorm Sandy, congregations and districts can apply for targeted recovery assistance grants made possible by donations made either through the LCMS or through the affected district.

The LCMS will be in this relief and recovery effort from the long haul, in partnership with local congregations and the district offices in affected areas. Our disaster response teams (national office, district staff and local parish leaders) are exceptionally well-qualified to effectively and efficiently manage this process through a sequence of steps which get the right kind of aid to the right people at the right time.

As one Superstorm Sandy victim told President Harrison, "You Lutherans are the real deal." Let's work together and show the love of Christ - again!

Mark Hofman, CFRE, MBA
Executive Director, Mission Advancement
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod