1. Where should I send financial contributions for the Church World Service Kosovo response?

Donations should be sent to: Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. They should be earmarked Kosovo Response

2. Is Church World Service receiving volunteers to help in the response effort?

Not at this time. Because we work in partnership with local agencies in the region, we don’t expect there to be a need to send in volunteers. We will be glad to take their name and contact information so that, in the event that needs change, we could contact them. In the meantime, should these persons find other opportunities to volunteer, they should take them. Names and contact information of potential volunteers can be given to Donna Derr at the CWS Emergency Response Office, (212)-870-3154 or donnajderr@aol.com.   A database of such persons is being maintained in the Emergency Response Office.

3. Is Church World Service accepting donations of material goods?

In addition to monetary contributions, Church World Service is only accepting the donation of "Gift of the Heart" kits at this time. Anyone interested in donating "Gift of the Heart" kits should be sure to follow the list of items to be included in these kits.

4. How can I sponsor a refugee family?

Those interested should call the information office of CWS's Immigration and Refugee Program (IRP) at (212)-870-3153 or e-mail to: irpcom@ncccusa.org.  The U.S. government is resettling 20,000 Kosovar refugees with their relatives in the United States. Some relatives may need a church "co-sponsor." Persons interested in "co-sponsoring" a family will be put in contact with the CWS-IRP affiliate nearest them.

5. How can I bring my relatives to the United States?

If you would like information on sponsoring your relatives for resettlement in the United States, call the Immigration and Refugee Program of CWS:  (212) 870-3153. You will be referred to the nearest affiliate and given information about completing the requisite "Locator, Interest, Sponsorship" (LIS) form. This is the first step for family reunification.

6. If persons are interested in adopting or fostering children orphaned by this crisis, who should they contact?

CWS-IRP does not have a resettlement program for "unaccompanied minors" nor do we deal with orphans. We encourage you to contact the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, (212)-532-6350, or the Migration and Refugee Service for the United States Catholic Conference, (202)-541-3000. Both have programs in place for foster care of unaccompanied refugee minors for other nationalities.

7. Who is Church World Service helping through their response efforts in the region?

Working through our local colleague agencies, our assistance is provided to any survivors of this crisis regardless of their religion, nationality or cultural heritage.

8. Is Church World Service operational in the region?

The Church World Service Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, under the leadership of CWS Country Director Vitali Vorona, is providing short-term humanitarian aid to some 9,000 refugees and returnees and about 500 host families in and around Sarajevo. In addition, Church World Service is working through local colleague agencies in the region as a member of the Action by Churches (ACT) International network. This precludes the need for us to send in staff from the U.S. We feel that such a method of operation is much preferable, as it allows for us to be immediately active utilizing colleague agency staff who have a good knowledge of local infrastructure and an understanding of cultural sensitivities.

9. How quickly will my support get to the region?

CWS has now provided $1.63 million in assistance to the region. Our help -- including tents, blankets and mattresses to Diaconie Agape in Albania, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the CWS Bosnia Office -- was among the first to get to those who needed it most. By the end of the summer, CWS anticipates it and its member denominations will have provided $3.4 million in material and financial aid to the Balkans.