July 10, 2007

In the northeastern part of the state, Washington and Ottowa Counties received declarations for federal individual assistance. State officials will petition the federal government for additional counties. Shelters remain open in Bartlesville at East Cross United Methodist Church and in Miami at First Christian Church (independent). Students from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College are also displaced, with flooded dormitories. American Red Cross continues to provide 250 meals three times a day for those in the damage areas, with additional support from the Salvation Army and the Southern Baptist Church.

Vulnerable Communities Watch

Miami's homeless shelter was operating at maximum capacity before floodwaters forced the shelter to close.

Oklahoma's Native American community is considerable, and represents a significant percentage of the population in the affected area

Decades of lead mining in northeastern Oklahoma has contributed to profound problems for several communities, including those around the Tar Creek Superfund site. Native American families were once displaced by lead mine and chat pile cleanup, and because of the environmental contamination were economically disadvantaged because they were unable to sell their homes. Many of these families relocated to Miami.

CWS Proposed Actions

CWS will coordinate communication and information among partner agencies.

CWS will research the disaster impact on community and identify potential beneficiaries of denominational support.

Emergency Response Specialist Lura Cayton is contacting LEAD, an advocacy agency for Native American and environmental health and safety concerns in the Tar Creek area to determine need and opportunities for project development

Cayton will contact the Rev. Bob Barker of the Miami Ministerial Alliance to offer information about long-term recovery

Cayton anticipates an end of the week visit to the northeast corner of the state for meeting with local leaders

Long-Term Recovery Activities And Meetings

On Saturday, July 7, Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster met in Miami.

Faith community representatives present were: CWS, the Salvation Army, Fulton Amanette, a local Southern Baptist Church pastor, Phillis McCarty, of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference of United Methodist Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, which is providing generators, kits and other equipment.

A secondary meeting will be set soon.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org