Adventist Community Services saw the need to educate and equip families with resources for practical ways to support a stronger livelihood within their community. Read More…
Author: Laura
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#CarolinaFloods Update
Adventist Community Services in the Carolina Conferences have been keeping busy responding to the floods that took place last week. Today, the warehouse that was previously opened for water supply has been closed and is now moving to a 82,000 square foot warehouse in Lugoff, SC.
ACS Disaster Response has asked that all donations of cleaning supplies be sent to Lugoff. We are estimating that approximately 500 ACS flood buckets will be put together and distributed. They are asking specifically for cleaning supplies, except for bleach. No water is needed at this time as well.
For a complete list of needs, please visit scemd.org.
The address for the warehouse is 1255 commerce drive Lugoff, SC 29078. However, please DO NOT hand deliver to the warehouse, send in material donations. Any questions on what is still needed can be sent to donatedgoodswarehouse@gmail.com. For monetary donations, click the “Donate Now” button on this page.
If you are 16 or older and would like to volunteer, please fill out THIS ONLINE FORM.
For more information and updates on relief, please visit carolinasda.org for updates and guidelines to help.
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#JoaquinFloods
On October 4th, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin’s waters flooded areas in the Carolina Conference. CNN stated; “South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley didn’t mince any words on Sunday about just how dangerous a situation the weather– which was blamed for five deaths in the state by Sunday night– had become in her state.”
Adventist Community Services was quick to respond and has established two warehouses in the Carolinas. The warehouses seem to have large amounts of bleach and water and is requesting for no more of those items to be sent over to them.
However, they are requesting cleaning products. In an event as large as this one, not only many businesses and homes are destroyed, but landmarks as well. Cleaning supplies are beneficial to help those struggling to clean up. Please stay tuned to updates on the addresses to send these items to.
Prayers are requested for everyone who is dealing with the repercussions of the flood. Let’s pray for the individuals affected, for sunshine to dry up the water that remains, and let’s pray for the families of the people who lost their loved ones in the floods.
For more information on how you can help specifically, call the Carolina conference at 1 (704) 596-3200. To donate, click the button below.
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#ValleyFire Update
Check out this video for more details on the Adventist Church Center and the services it’s providing!
Dear Beloved Church Family, There is wonderful news regard the [NAME NOT PUBLISHED]’s family. “We are doing ok, our whole family is together desperately searching for a home. …” [This Sabbath the Middletown church will be meeting outdoors on their property as the Red Cross is using their facility and sanctuary as a shelter for volunteers.] The activities on Sabbath will be behind the church sanctuary. Please don’t use the church building as there will be individual sleeping inside. We will use the restrooms at the school. Elder and Mrs Pedersen, with Stephanie Leal, Julie Lorenz, Jeff Klam, and Ed Fargussen came up to visit our Middletown church today. I had just finished up a special time with MAS Students, as we lowered our flag at half mast in honor of Bruce Burns. Debi Pedersen brought a cake in honor of [Middletown Adventist School Principal] Lottie’s birthday, and was enough for all the students to have a snack together. What a thoughtful gesture. Lottie shared that they had root beer floats yesterday which Lynal Ingham, our education associate superintendent, brought up. … met with [NCC Risk Management Director] Jeff Klam and inspected the property together, and I am sure by now more than one of you have been called to help with some of the projects on our campus. We were given a tour by the Red Cross of part of our church and fellowship hall, and had to keep our voices down as there were some sleeping, because they had volunteered for the night shift. There are volunteers that have come from all over the United States, and it is very interesting to get acquainted with them and to thank them for leaving their homes to share with our communities. … Tonight the updated numbers of structures destroyed in the Valley Fire from Cal Fire: 1,910 with 76,067 acres burned and 82% contained this evening.
The above message was taken from nccsda.com from a post on September 23rd, 2015. [For privacy concerns, some names are not published]
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#ValleyFires Update!
Check out this article regarding that #ValleyFires. Look at ACS’s efforts to respond!
If you have more stories or pictures to share of what your community is doing to help, let m us know! email us at acs@nadadventist.org
Last week, when Jim and Carolyn Oliver left their home of 11 years—in the midst of 120 acres of forest — they didn’t know if they would see it again. The Butte fire was moving hot and fast through the area. Carolyn caught a glimpse of the fire’s power as she served in her role as senior chaplain for a fire protection district. Her battalion chief asked her to accompany him as she checked on firefighters, and she was shocked. “I had never seen devastation like that,” she said.
When she arrived home, she told Jim that they needed to get out. They grabbed their “go bag,” and they left. (Shortly thereafter, their community received a mandatory evacuation order.) Their home is currently being used as a dormitory for firefighters. The Olivers know about emergencies. Through the years they’ve been involved with numerous disaster response organizations. In addition, Carolyn has served as disaster response coordinator for the Northern California Conference, and Jim now holds that position, in addition to his role as NCC Adventist Community Services Federation president.
Now it’s the Olivers’ own neighbors who are affected by disaster. “When it’s at your back door, it’s a whole new thing,” said Carolyn. “ What you’re not prepared for is when it’s people you know who are losing their homes.” As of Sept. 15, the Olivers’ house was still standing. They continue to be hopeful, but no matter what the outcome, they trust that the Lord will be with them. “We are at peace because God is still in charge and cares for us,” said Jim.
The Butte and Valley fires are still wreaking havoc on the lives of thousands. But you can help! Adventist Community Services provides assistance to individuals, families and communities during and after disasters. Donate today to help people affected by these fires.
On Sunday, August 2nd, Typhoon Soudelor struck the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The catastrophic event knocked out electricity on the 48-square-mile island. About 50,000 people live on the island, and most of them live in Saipan, which took the larger hit of the storm.
Adventist Community Service responded right away. Local churches and partnering teams responded to the typhoon by evaluating the situation and providing aid to the families that were affected. More specifically, ACS opened a multi-agency warehouse and with the help of ACS volunteers, were able to set up a distribution pipeline with butane for light & cooking, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent and personal hygiene kits. ACS was able to trail local church members/volunteers on leadership skills on how to operate the warehouse.
Saipan’s Adventist dental clinic and the Adventist school’s damage was minimal and is now functioning. With removed debris, they are able to fully function but are looking at repairing the minimal damage slowly.
ACS has established plans to continue to serve long-term in the community of Saipan and will do so until further notice.
To donate, please go to communityservices.org
Our NLCP started on Monday morning in Federal Way, WA. With 48+ attendees and a variety of presenters, the participants are getting their full experience and learning even more. “Being able to engage in conversation with people of similar interests and passion for non profit leadership is very enlightening”, said a participant of the NLCP program.
For more daily pictures, visit our social media pages! And make sure you join us next year to get a certification yourself!
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Redwood Community Service Day!
About 250 campers at Redwood Camp Meeting volunteered for the first Redwood Community Service Day on Friday, July 31.
Over the past six decades, the annual 10-day camp meeting, held in the Northern California Conference, has provided spiritual renewal for thousands of people. The theme for 2015 was “Christ’s Method Alone: Building Relationships.” “We wanted to give people the opportunity to be a blessing to the local community—to put this year’s theme into action,” said NCC Executive Secretary Marc Woodson, who organized the event with his wife, Marlene. Each volunteer wore a bright yellow shirt with Matthew 20:28 written on the back: “Jesus came not to be served, but to serve others.”
The volunteers tackled a wide range of projects in the nearby communities of Fortuna and Eureka. Many campers worked together to pick up 1,540 pounds of trash along the Eel River. (A local television newscast reported on their work.) “My favorite part of the day was walking the river bed with my dad, and finding a muffler that we joked was a piece of NASA equipment that fell from the sky,” said 13-year-old Tim Mason, from the Lodi English Oaks church. “It made me feel good that I knew I was helping clean the world.”
A number of volunteers worked at Miranda’s Rescue for Large & Small Animals, where they walked dogs, built goat pens, painted, weeded and performed other tasks. “The owner was so overwhelmed by the number of volunteers that he had to stop several times—as he was giving us assignments—to tell us how blessed he felt to have so many there,” said Carol Anne Cruise, a member of Redwood Valley company.
The organization’s owners, Shannon Miranda and Dean Paris, later wrote a thank you message: “You were the best large volunteer group we have had in the last ten years! … Your kindness will never be forgotten!”
A number of other volunteers worked at Fortuna’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, making quilts for a women’s shelter and sewing pillowcases for a children’s hospital, among other tasks. The congregation’s public affairs specialist, Sylvia Jutila, helped connect the Adventists to volunteer opportunities around Fortuna. “What a fantastic gift to our city,” said Jutila. “All of the places where they served could not get over the wonderful aid and assistance they provided.”
Campers also worked at several food banks, a library, a thrift store, a community center, and another church. “We received so much positive feedback—both from the volunteers and the people they helped—that we plan to make this an annual event,” said Woodson.
April 18 – 21, 2016
Southern Union conference
norcross, GA
More info
To Register click here
Participants will learn:
Leadership:
To improve participants’ abilities to affect individual, organization, and community changes.
Mangement:
To improve participants’ abilities to effectively handle the administrative responsibilities of nonprofit management.
Social Dimensions of Evangelism:
To improve participants’ abilities through biblical concepts of holistic ministry to minister in dynamic environments.