Cuba is focus of BGR in Hurricane Matthew's wake

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Christian Examiner) — Baptist Global Response (BGR), a global Southern Baptist Relief and Development Organization, in a news release Wednesday afternoon, said the organization had monitored Hurricane Matthew as it had impacted Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica and decided to focus its response in Cuba.

The following is the BGR release:

HURRICANE UPDATE: Hurricane Matthew has now passed over Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica. BGR has been monitoring situations in each country and has decided to focus its response efforts in Cuba. We already have people on the ground who have received disaster relief training, and we have an established network of Cuban partners and churches that can help distribute aid efficiently. Conversely, Jamaica hasn't suffered much damage and isn't a priority for disaster response work. While the storm did affect Haiti, a number of other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are well established there as a result of the 2010 earthquake. They are already starting relief work. BGR will operate some small projects in Haiti with local personnel, but the country won't be our main focus due to the prevalence of other NGOs.

BGR will base its work in Cuba off evident need and will see to the four life-saving sectors of disaster response:

· water, sanitation and hygiene

· food security

· shelter and nonfood items

· health

At the moment, our organization's greatest need is for funding to effectively address this situation. To contribute, please give to the BGR Disaster Response fund. We will also conduct our response through locally trained people who know the language and culture and will not need out outside responders during these initial stages.

To donate to BGR's Disaster Response, go online.