Q: How are the financial contributions being used?
A:The current focus of Vineyard USA Mercy Response is our home rebuilding program. Through this program we are assisting individual homeowners get back into their storm damaged homes. Many of these folks are elderly, single parents or have had their money stolen by dishonest contractors. Basically we are aiming to help people who are just plain stuck and have no where else to turn. Contributions are being put towards the cost of building materials, supplies and tools required for our current reconstruction projects.
In addition, contributions also help support the Mercy Response volunteer camp site which includes the costs of housing and feeding volunteer teams, camp maintenance and upkeep, support staff, etc.
We have been able to accomplish much with the generous gifts we have received. Over the first six months of the relief effort the majority of the contributions were used to resource the local Vineyard Churches that responded to their communities with mercy and hope. This included financially supporting pastors and their staffs whose church members were displaced or lost jobs and therefore the usual financial support from the church was less. We also supported 5 local Vineyard Churches throughout Louisiana which served as base camps and distribution sites for the mercy work which was done by Vineyard Teams. The support for these sites included everything from food for workers, gas for vehicles, equipment rental such as forklifts and trucks, facilities maintenance and preparation for teams and some staff support to help administrate these sites.
Contributions were also used to help rebuild Vineyard pastor's homes that were damaged from these hurricanes. Even though much of this work was volunteered by skilled workers and pastors paid for their own materials, there were expenses associated with this project such as supplies, tools, etc.
In February of 2006 we began assisting the Gideon Christian fellowship with restoration of their church building and four other buildings that they use for various community focused ministries. In October of 2007 the Gideon Church reopened for Sunday services.
From day one we have distributed food and cleaned out flooded homes. As of January 2008 over 90,000 hot meals have been served and 639 New Orleans homes have been gutted by Mercy Response Teams.
Q:Where can we send contributions?
A:Please send contributions to the Vineyard USA office. Checks can be made out to “Vineyard USA” and earmarked “Mercy Response” in the memo line. Please specify if the donation is for Katrina Relief or Iowa Flooding Relief. Please send any donations to:
Vineyard USA-Mercy Response
PO Box 2089
Stafford, TX 77497
Q: How do we designate contributions to a specific church or outreach?
A:We are asking that instead of sending contributions for a particular project, program or area church that all contributions be sent The Vineyard USA office. This way we can make sure that the funds get to where they are needed the most.
If a church would like to contribute specifically to one of the Mercy Response projects or programs, you can make that request by emailing Phil Schissler at phil@mercyresponse.com.
Q:How can I contribute supplies and what supplies are needed?
A: If you would like to contribute supplies, our basic need is building supplies and materials. Because storage space is limited, we ask that you make contributions by sending a check to Vineyard USA or by sending Home Depot gifts cards. We have accounts set up with local supply stores to purchase supplies needed for each project.
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