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RED CROSS AGREEMENT
John Clizbe (left), vice
president for Disaster Relief for the American Red Cross,
and Robert E. "Bob" Reccord, president of the
North American Mission Board, signed a "statement of
understanding" Nov. 2 outlining the partnership between
the two agencies in disaster relief response. Photo Gibbs
Frazeur
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--The American Red Cross signed an agreement
with the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board Nov. 2 that
continues a longstanding disaster relief partnership between the
agencies, a partnership that last year resulted in a combined
savings of an estimated $14 million.
The "statement of understanding" is the third since
1986 to address formally a relationship that has existed since 1970.
The partnership has allowed Southern Baptist disaster relief units
to work closely with the American Red Cross in meal preparation,
child care, cleanup and recovery after major storms and in other
efforts.
New items addressed in the agreement include a formal description
of the existing relationship between the two organizations in
chaplaincy services and "aviation incident response."
John Clizbe, vice president for disaster relief services for the
American Red Cross, commended Southern Baptist efforts as a model of
how nonprofit organizations can work together synergistically.
"We value this relationship enormously," he said before
a public signing of the agreement at NAMB's offices in Alpharetta,
Ga. "When I have been asked for an example of a statement of
understanding and sympathy for the American Red Cross, I almost
always refer to our relationship with you [NAMB]. It is the epitome
of how a good working relationship should be formed and what it is
all about."
Clizbe noted that both agencies share a commitment to donors that
makes stewardship of utmost importance, and partnerships such as
this demonstrate the value of working together.
"If there are ways in which we can work together and save
our organization millions of dollars by doing so, we're serving
people effectively and efficiently," he said.
"I am deeply indebted to you for your partnership with
us," Clizbe added later. "And on behalf of the ...
American Red Cross and on behalf of the American people I want to
thank you."
Robert E. Reccord, president of NAMB, noted that the agency is
actually only the national "nerve center" for a vast
network of dedicated Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers in
42 state conventions and 45,000 churches.
"So we just get to symbolize who Southern Baptists are. And
as that nerve center we commit to you that we'll continue to do
everything we can to mobilize as many people and as many hearts as
possible to stand shoulder to shoulder and soul to soul with you as
Red Cross," he said. "Because it is not just the physical
step that they need, it is the emotional, and the psychological and
the caring that they need as well."
Savings to the American Red Cross due to the partnership is
estimated at more than $9 million last year, while savings to
Southern Baptist disaster relief in food and supplies is estimated
more than $5 million.
During 1999 Southern Baptist volunteers, organized in local units
and through state conventions, responded to 97 different events and
prepared 1.6 million meals in support of American Red Cross
operations. More than 16,000 volunteers were involved in both
domestic and international responses.
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