$3.2 Million for 21 Houses of Worship: FEMA Pays to Repair Virgin Islands Churches After Irma and Maria

• Nearly $3.2 million was obligated for 21 houses of worship
• About $1.3 million related to Irma and about $1.9 million to Maria
• Nirvana Healing Temple received $746,000 and Southgate Baptist Church $242,500
• Church-run schools, homeless shelters and soup kitchens were also eligible

Five years after hurricanes Irma and Maria, federal money was still flowing to repair churches in the US Virgin Islands, the St. Thomas Source reported in September 2022.

FEMA said it had obligated nearly $3.2 million for 21 houses of worship: nearly $1.3 million for damage from Irma and nearly $1.9 million for damage from Maria. The programme also covered 11 schools and two homeless shelters run by churches. Among the named projects, Nirvana Healing Temple received $746,000 and Southgate Baptist Church $242,500.

The funding came through FEMA’s Public Assistance programme, which the agency said was “partnering with the U.S. Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery to support the repair and restoration of houses of worship, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and schools managed by churches.”

The Rev Edward Cullen said: “The Lighthouse Mission and Southgate Baptist Church of St. Croix have made extensive repairs to both facilities enabling each to fulfill our purpose of ‘shining the light of Jesus into Christiansted by programs of compassion and education.'”

The figures show how long church recovery can take after a major hurricane, and how much depends on paperwork. Public reimbursement of this kind depends on churches being able to document their damage, their ownership and their community services. Without records, repairs wait.

Jamaica’s churches are going through a similar process after Hurricane Melissa. Congregations seeking help from government, denominations or donors should photograph damage, keep repair estimates and receipts, and make sure titles, insurance policies and registration papers are in order. Churches that also run schools, shelters or feeding programmes should document that work, as it often strengthens the case for support.

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