Rev. Paul Graetz, senior pastor at First Metropolitan Community Church in Atlanta, said his congregation last weekend was able to feed 30 families who fled the ravages of New Orleans to find temporary shelter in a local hotel.

Members of the predominately gay church also set up a fund to help rebuild MCC churches in the Gulf Coast destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. And the church is signing on with Gov. Sonny Perdue’s call for faith-based organizations to join together with the state to provide a network of resources for hurricane victims needing assistance through www.connections.org.

“We’re trying to sign on with as many venues as possible to help,” Graetz said. “Collectively, we can do some great stuff.”

First MCC, located on North Druid Hills, is also partnering with the social conservative Salvation Army, located a few blocks away, providing the organization with much needed resources from its food bank.

“We’re always concerned about people who do things to propagate messages that are not inclusive, but right now this is about meeting human need,” Graetz said.

Working with groups including the Salvation Army helps build bridges between gay people and conservative Christians, he added.

“This is like a fabulous gift — we can break down walls and barriers, rub shoulders with others and learn from one another. And that goes both ways,” Graetz said.

Faith-based outreach
Some 60 faith-based groups had registered at the state’s Web site for its initiative by Wednesday, said Shane Hix, a spokesperson for Perdue.

The Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are coordinating with each point-of-contact from these organizations to match offers of resources and volunteers with relief efforts, according to the governor’s office.

Hix added that gay and gay-friendly congregations are invited to participate in the relief effort.

“Any faith-based organization is welcome,” he said.

Housing for people with HIV
AID Atlanta is rapidly making efforts to help HIV-positive evacuees get housing and necessary medicines, said Executive Director Kim Anderson.

Thousands of calls have been made to the agency’s hotline seeking these resources. Some 15 to 20 people living with HIV have made it to the agency, with more on the way, she said.

“We’ve gone to a number of shelters here and passed out flyers letting people know what we offer and help to get enrolled in our program,” she said. “We are doing everything we do with existing clients — case management, medicine, housing.”

AID Atlanta is also working with the Georgia Department of Human Resources and the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which distributes Ryan White funding, to ensure HIV-positive people receive help, Anderson said.

“We’ve set aside some of our emergency assistance funding for the evacuees and still helping those already in our community,” she said.

Chuck Bowen, executive director of Georgia Equality, the statewide gay rights group, said his organization is in the process of sending letters to local hospitals asking for compassion when dealing with same-sex couples who, legally, don’t have the same rights as heterosexual married couples when it comes to such issues as visitation.

“I’m convinced these kinds of issues are going on,” Bowen said.

Rebuilding synagogues
Rabbi Joshua Lesser and Congregation Bet Haverim, a synagogue founded by gay men and lesbians, said his members are collecting funds to help rebuild synagogues. Members are also taking a progressive stance when seeking organizations to volunteer with and donate to, he added.

“If the Salvation Army was the only organization helping then, yes, of course we would join them,” Lesser said. “But its values don’t match ours and there are other ways we can help.”

Bet Haverim members are helping staff gay-friendly Central Presbyterian Church’s shelter and are collecting food and hygiene packs for those seeking help there. Graetz said First MCC is also working with Central Presbyterian to provide aid.

“We want to help those who have a human agenda and not a polarized agenda,” Lesser added. “Some of those in the right wing are saying gays are responsible for this tragedy. They are blaming people for the cause of this natural phenomenon — why do we need to expose ourselves to that rhetoric?”