Disaster Relief

UUSC's policy is to respond strategically to disaster relief situations where human rights are threatened.  The UUSC constituency looks to the Service Committee to provide leadership and a UU response in disaster situations. 

UUSC is well positioned to mount an effective response to natural or manmade disasters which cause a significant human rights threat in regions in which it works or where the human rights situation is so grave that the Service Committee, as a leader in human rights advocacy, cannot possibly stand by and do nothing.

At the same time, while all large disasters pose a threat to human rights, there are a number of organizations that are better equipped to respond to most disaster situations both inside and outside of the United States.  In all cases, UUSC's objective is to ensure the most rapid and effective response to major disasters and does not intend to become involved in responding to disasters by providing services directly. Instead, we look to support organizations that are better positioned to respond to humanitarian needs.

In any disaster, if a constituent would like to send a donation to UUSC, we will forward all contributions received to a colleague agency with an effective program on the ground in the region impacted by the emergency. 

UUSC will assess the following criteria to determine its response to a major disaster.

• Impact that the disaster is having on the human rights work of UUSC program partners in the region and its effect on ongoing or potential program activities
• History of UUSC's work in the region and/or the institution's historical relationship with those directly affected by the disaster
• Magnitude of the disaster
• The response of the international humanitarian community to the disaster
• Impact that the disaster is having on or is expected to have on UUSC's constituency and UU congregations
• Capacity of the potential recipients of UUSC disaster relief funds in the affected areas to mount an effective response
• Potential to raise funds specifically for the disaster
• Potential negative impact that the relief effort might have on ongoing programs and UUSC's ability to support them through operating funds.

We respond strategically to disasters, especially where human rights are threatened. We will coordinate our constituents' response to disasters to more rapidly meet the humanitarian need.

Current appeals

• UUSC-UUA Kenya Crisis Fund (2008):
• South Asia Earthquake (2005): humanitarian aid for survivors of the earthquake in Pakistan, Kashmir, Afghanistan, and India
• UUA-UUSC Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund (2005): humanitarian aid for survivors of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. Gulf Coast region
• UUSC-UUA Tsunami Relief Fund (2004-05): humanitarian aid to earthquake/tsunami survivors in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka
• Darfur Relief Fund (2004): humanitarian aid to refugees from and internally displaced people in the Darfur region of Sudan
• Iraq Relief Fund (2003): humanitarian aid for post-war Iraq
  
  Completed appeals:
• Kansas Tornado Relief (2007): UUSC is reaching out to local community organizations in Kansas
• Indonesia Earthquake (2006): UUSC recommends colleague organizations to aid survivors of Indonesia earthquake
• Lebabon Relief (2006) UUSC is accepting donations to provide aid to victims of the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon
• Guatemala Floods (2005): Humanitarian aid for flood survivors and displaced people in Guatemalan from Hurricane Stan
• Haiti Relief Fund (2004): Humanitarian aid to Haitian survivors of Hurricane Jeanne
• Afghanistan Relief Fund (2001): Humanitarian aid for post-war Afghanistan

UUSC appeals of the recent past include the Congo Volcano Relief Fund (2002), the September 11th Humanitarian Relief Fund (2001), and the India Earthquake Relief Fund (2001).