Readers are sharing with us stories of how their houses of worship--both near and far from the devastation--are reaching out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. How is your spiritual community responding? Please let us know by sending an email to [email protected]. We invite you to submit photos of your faith group in action as well.

From Food to Flashlights

Coral Baptist Church
Coral Springs, Florida

Works in a network with other churches to deploy RV's to disaster areas, where they serve meals to victims and rescue workers

Sends supplies such as generators and hygiene kits (filled with hair combs, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine products, wet wipes, tissues, trash bags, flash lights, batteries, candles, matches, hair bands, razors, shaving cream, bug-off wipes, chapstick)

Saves $.15 per dollar on all donations to the church for disasters like this

Where Hope Comes in a Box

Presbyterian USA Church
Asheville, North Carolina

Putting together Personal Health Kits for adults and Hope-in-a-Box kits for kids, to send to shelters in Houston, Texas

Through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, sending teams to Gulf Coast areas for hands-on help

Welcoming Furry Friends

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center, Nicholls State University
Thibodaux, Louisiana

Providing temporary accommodations in the church for victims turned away from rescue centers because of their pets

Quality Time and Spiritual Support

First Baptist Church
Fairhope, Alabama (2 hours from New Orleans)

Providing meals and supplies for some 300 displaced people in public shelters

Collecting donations for the relief effort

Congregation members visiting the shelters and distribute Bibles

Reaching Out to Neighbors

A local church in Grand Bay, Alabama, a shrimping town devastated by the storm

Supplying meals, clothing, and diapers to people in town

Truckloads of Goodwill

American Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee

Sending truckloads of grocery items, including juice, water, and food

Gurdawaras of Houston and Dallas organizing community kitchens for victims

Relief Trips and Supply Drives

Crossings Church
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Encouraging financial donations to be directed to Samaritan's Purse

Working with local churches to plan relief trips from Oklahoma

Coordinating a supply drive with churches in the Gulf region

Helping Evacuees Find Loved Ones

University Baptist Church
Thibodaux, Louisiana

Driving evacuees to Shrieveport and Houston to help them find family members

Joining with other churches, both Protestant and Catholic, to conduct interfaith services

Congregation members donating food, clothing and Bibles

Members in health care professions volunteering to help special needs victims

Driving members to worship services

Pastor Jim Duck and Education Minister Wayne Hunt spending time comforting those coping with loss

Deferred Donations

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
San Luis Obispo, California

Encouraging donations to Catholic Charities for relief work

Taking collections in lieu of those scheduled for church ministeries

Health Kits, Flood Buckets, and Prayers

Cornwall United Methodist Church
New Windsor, NY

Collecting donations for the United Methodist Committee on Relief

Making health kits, flood buckets

Sharing lists with other groups who want to help the people of the Gulf Coast

Continuing prayer vigil

Every Collection Counts

Smith Chapel, United Methodist Church
Elsberry, Missouri

Taking up a collection for the next four sundays for relief effort