TELECONFERENCE: Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim Leaders Call for Moral Response to Hurricanes

Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim Leaders Call for Moral Response to Hurricanes

Rebuilding and Human Rights are National Moral Priority

(September 15, 2008) – Today, 107 leading religious officials – including, Rev. Richard Cizik, National Association of Evangelicals; Richard Stearns, President, World Vision; Rabbi Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, National Council of Churches; Dr. Ingrid Matterson, Islamic Society of North America; Fr. Larry Snyder, Catholic Charities USA; Rev. David Beckmann, Bread for the World; and Rev. Jim Wallis, Sojourners – are calling for not just a charitable response but bi-partisan resident-led federal solutions helping families. They'll discuss a letter sent today to Senators John McCain and Barack Obama and members of Congress addressing the crisis.

What: Media Teleconference: 107 National Faith Leaders Urge Next Congress and President to Make Human Rights and Gulf Coast Rebuilding a Priority

When: Monday September 15th, 12:00pm ET

How: Members of the working press, please RSVP to buchanan@rfkmemorial.org

Teleconference Call in: (866) 443-5810 Conference ID: 64628175

Who:

Moderator: Stephen Bradberry, National Campaign Coordinator, ACORN, New Orleans, LA

Rev. Alfred Carter, President, Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing, Thibodaux, LA

Julie Kulinski, Director, Women in Construction, Moore Community House, Biloxi, MS

Dr. Frederick Douglas Haynes III, Senior Pastor, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

Sr. Simone Campbell, Director, NETWORK, a Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez Jr., Executive Director, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Hadar Susskind, Director, Washington Office, Jewish Council on Public Affairs

Rev. Michael Livingston, Co-Chair, National Council of Churches Special Commission on the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast

Background: Three years after the current administration first promised to rebuild the region devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the slow pace of recovery and recent devastation of hurricanes Gustav and Ike have created a moral crisis in the Gulf Coast. The collapse of local institutions, homelessness, internal displacement, poverty, abusive labor practices and environmental degradation in the Gulf Coast demands a powerful response from people of faith and bi-partisan resident-led federal solutions helping families return and participate in rebuilding their communities, creating living wage jobs, restoring the coastal wetland and ensuring human rights in the Gulf Coast region a national priority.

The Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign is a nonpartisan partnership of community, faith, environmental, student, and human rights organizations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi and their national allies advocating for federal legislation based on HR 4048, the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act and urging national leaders to make creating jobs, rebuilding infrastructure and affordable housing, and restoring natural flood protection along the Gulf Coast a national priority.

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Katie Paris

Note name change from Barge to Paris and new email address!

Faith in Public Life

202-435-0262