AP Photo Archive
More than a 100 boxes filled with clothes, food and medical supplies were gathered and prepared for shipment from Boston victims in Haiti after a hurricane in 1998. The Catholic Charities Haitian Multi-Service Center of Boston organized the collection of needed materials.

Many churches respond to victims’ needs

Leslie Bardsley BAR04015@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

In the next few weeks millions of dollars of aid will be sent to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The American Red Cross has taken a primary role in the distribution of aid, but it is being supplemented by organizations that have responded to the overwhelming need.

While most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are relatively familiar with the humanitarian work being done throughout the globe, many do not realize the significant part that organizations of other faiths play in aiding the less fortunate.

“It’s nice to know that even though there are so many different religions out there, they all seem to try to help,” said Jenna Tanzie, a freshmen from Layton, Utah.

Many service organizations are affiliated with religions. The Salvation Army is best known for its work helping people although few realize that it is actually an integral part of the Christian Church. It serves over a hundred countries in everything from disaster relief to senior choirs.

Catholic Relief Services, CRS, is a service organization made up of Catholics from the United States. According to their official Web site, www.crs.org, it was formed over 50 years ago and already serves 90 countries, aiding those in need and teaching them to be more self-reliant. The CRS recently teamed up with the LDS Church to send 40 metric tons of a nutritional supplement to starving children in Niger.

The American Friends Service Committee, AFSC, is a group formed by the Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers. The AFSC promotes peace and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947. They place special emphasis on those affected by wars and other conflicts, especially civilians and children and, according to its Web site www.afsc.org, they believe in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

Islamic Relief works to aid those in emergency situations and then proceeds to instruct disaster victims how to better help themselves. Islamic Relief works to improve victims’ knowledge of sanitation, health, vocational skills and income generation.

If one is aware, it is easy to see how many religions are involved with the helping of others.

With hundreds of religions available to people in America, each one offers unique services to help those in need.