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NW District Disaster Response

As we hear the news continue about the earthquake in Haiti, we realize that there is a great need for health-kits to be sent to be sent to Haiti. The Northwest District Disaster Response Team would like to challenge each church to assemble as many kits as possible. If each church in the Northwest District assembles 10 kits we will have over 1000 kits to send to Haiti from the Northwest District. What a small amount of work to be able to help such a large number of people. It is estimated that thousands of kits will be needed in the days and months to come.

We will be collecting the kits at three different spots in the District:

Northwest District Office (1206 W 4^th Street, Storm Lake)

Morningside College (contact Kathy Martin at 712-274-5148 or email martink@morningside.edu to make arrangements)

Spirit Lake UMC (1812 Gary Ave, Spirit Lake)

After collecting the kits, we will need to get them to either Sager-Brown Depot in Baldwin, LA or to the UMCOR Midwest Distribution Center in Chatham, IL. If you know of anyone who is willing to help transport the kits, please let us know.

The kits, valued at about $12 per kit, contain everything from towels and washcloths to sterile bandages and bar soap. They will be distributed to those who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the recent disaster.

For individuals or groups that want to contribute basic necessities, UMCOR requests that the following NEW items be placed in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”. No kitchen towels.

1 washcloth

1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)

1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)

1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)

1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)

6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

$1.00 to purchase toothpaste

(NOTE: Toothpaste is purchased in bulk to be added to health kits to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Because the emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations and strict rules govern product entry into international countries, UMCOR requires that the kits contain only the requested items – nothing more.

Please enclose at least $1.00 for each kit you send. This donation enables kits to be sent without delay to Haiti.

Further instructions on assembling and shipping health kits are available at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help transport the kits, please contact Kathy Martin, NW District VIM Coordinator at martink@morningside.edu or the District Office.

How many kits can you provide??? Please have the kits to the drop-off points by Monday, February 8.