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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Wendy Healy, 203-744-6367
Wendy@LDRNY.org
John Scibilia, 917-566-3903
John@LDRNY.org

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE OF NEW YORK ENHANCES SERVICES ON LONG ISLAND; NAMES DEPUTY COORDINATOR

NORTH BELLMORE, N.Y. – March 26 – Lutheran Disaster Response of New York (LDRNY), a ministry of the Lutheran Church in response to Sept. 11, announced today that it has enhanced its presence, programs and services on Long Island.

The Rev. Tom Taylor, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, North Bellmore, Deputy Chief and chaplain of the North Bellmore Fire Department, and a chaplain for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York City, has been named deputy coordinator for LDRNY’s Long Island outreach. Taylor, a Red Cross chaplain during the Ground Zero recovery efforts, was instrumental in helping LDRNY develop and deliver many of its disaster response programs.

“As more Long Islanders come to grips with the affects of September 11, it is important for LDRNY to enhance our presence among these hidden victims,” said Dr. John J. Scibilia, executive director of LDRNY. One of Taylor’s first roles will be to coordinate the involvement of LDRNY, its partner agencies and congregations with the Long Island VOAD (Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster). LIVOAD convenes all of the programs and agencies that respond to disaster.

Taylor will be the primary point of contact with the Office of Emergency Management in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. In addition, LDRNY coordinates counseling services with its partner, Lutheran Counseling Center, which is based in Mineola and has offices throughout the area.

Scibilia is coordinating LDRNY’s efforts with the Unmet Needs Roundtable of Long Island, an ad hoc group being brought together by the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island to address the needs of those affected by 9/11 with agencies, organizations and individuals that can provide financial assistance.

The Unmet Needs Roundtable of Long Island is modeled after the same group in New York City, which was developed last year as a response to victims of 9/11 who didn’t meet the strict guidelines for federal assistance programs, or who fell through the cracks of the public assistance system. Agencies associated with the Roundtable include Children’s Aid Society, Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund and Brooklyn Bureau of Community Services. The Roundtable was spearheaded, in large part, by LDRNY and its partner, Lutheran Social Services-Metropolitan New York.

In the past year, more than 200 people affected by 9/11 in New York City have been helped with more than $300,000 for mortgage or rental assistance, food or to purchase special equipment for their homes, according to Taylor.

“The Unmet Needs Roundtable of Long Island hopes to bring this same level of assistance to those in the breach in Long Island,” said Scibilia. Scibilia expects the Unmet Needs Roundtable’s work to be even more significant now that other means of federal assistance is over.

“Pr. Tom Taylor is an especially good fit for this new role,” said Scibilia, “since he lives and leads a congregation on Long Island and truly understands the needs of its residents.”

In addition to leading the congregation of Grace Lutheran Church in North Bellmore, Taylor is chaplain of the North Bellmore Fire Department, an EMT-D and team leader for the Nassau County Fire Commission Critical Incident Stress Management Team. He also served as chaplain of the Liberty Fire Department, Liberty, N.Y., where he was a fire investigator. His military service included chaplaincy in the United States Naval Reserves.

He is certified by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and also serves with the Congregational Resource Center in helping congregations in transition, conflict or mission development.