Episcopal Press and News

Relief Program in Santo Domingo

Diocesan Press Service. June 7, 1965 [XXXIII-3]

The entire distribution machinery of Church World Service has been placed at the disposal of the joint relief effort in Santo Domingo which is coordinated by the Organization of American States. The Episcopal Church participates in Church World Service through the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.

This OAS Coordinating Committee on Relief, under the administration of Donald Adams of Puerto Rico, has divided Santo Domingo into zones to facilitate food relief.

Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicanas (SSID), the Dominican inter-church social service agency through which CWS channels relief aid, has been assigned zone East for the distribution of food every five days. Zone West is assigned to Caritas, the Roman Catholic agency. Some 300, 000 were receiving food relief through these efforts as of June 1.

Life is so disrupted that few are working and everyone is anxious about the future. Consequently there is need for relief. As one eye-witness stated: "The lack of safety in the downtown streets, along with the long delays in the flow of traffic keep the majority of the population within their homes and idle and tense.... With the banks closed there is an absolute minimum of money in use. Food and other goods are available, but people with cash to buy are at a minimum."

James Cavin, a Swiss citizen who is executive secretary of SSID, has emphasized that enough food is available for distribution. Some 15,000 pounds of meat were recently airlifted by CWS after Mr. Cavin asked for it.

Because much of the population is idle, restless and underfed, food riots threaten constantly. Sources other than SSID have commended this organization for its dedication and discipline under these circumstances.