Christian retailers, publishers and ministries across the country are pitching in to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Christian Life Missions, the non-profit partner of Christian Retailing, is accepting donations to provide immediate support with 100% of the money going to victims. Strang Communications, parent company of Christian Retailing, will cover all overhead costs for this project. Donations may be made to www.christianlifemissions.org/giving.

Thomas Nelson is donating 100,000 Bibles to the relief effort through Samaritan's Purse, an organization headed by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham. The publisher also is matching donations made by its employees. The Association of Logos Bookstores also is encouraging its stores to collect donations for Samaritan's Purse.

Zondervan is working with the International Bible Society to provide Bibles to hurricane victims. HarperCollins, Zondervan's parent company, also has pledged $1 million to the Salvation Army.

The American Bible Society also is providing Bibles, and said its first response was being directed to the hurricane refugees from New Orleans housed at Houston's Astrodome.

Tyndale House, Baker Publishing Group and Zondervan also have set up matching programs to encourage employees to contribute to the relief efforts.

Melissa Teutsch, publicist at Howard Publishing, said the West Monroe, La.-based company is open and employees have been volunteering their time to help evacuees.

Suppliers say they will do what they can to help retailers get back on their feet. John Seward, vice president of operations at Tyndale, said the company has reached about half of its accounts in the zip codes in the affected areas.

“We are taking an approach that says, 'Please don't worry about your account with Tyndale House.' We recognize that many of these stores have more immediate concerns than receiving product shipments and invoices.”

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