Georgia-Cumberland has been asked to join the relief efforts after Hurricane Idalia. Adventist Community Services Coordinator Rhonda Haight says the goal is to help as many as 300 people with supplies such as toiletries, cleaning products, and water. Click below to watch the full news report.
Update 8/24/23
“Actions speak louder than words,” shared Mark Tamaleaa, sporting an ACS Disaster Response Jacket and a hat with “Love More” emblazoned across it. Mark and his ACS teams have been on the ground in Maui from the beginning of the wildfire emergency. They’ve cooked and served hot meals door to door, battened down roofs and shared how to access resources with people, still in shock by what has happened.
The Hawaii ACS team is diverse, speaking multiple languages, able to break down barriers and connect with many neighbors. They are in the process of acquiring upgraded equipment so they can offer mobile showers and laundry services then sit and love on people over high-quality meals cooked by the Aunties.
“I’m excited about the ACS team working in Hawaii. We have professionals doing a professional job. We praise God for the connections happening between the community, VOAD, Hawaii Conference and other officials to bring relief to the people of Maui,” says Leon Brown, ACS Director for Pacific Union Conference.
The islands have been inundated by donated goods to the point that hundreds of containers are tying up precious port space. As is always true in the early phases of a disaster, cash donations are best.
Posted 8/21/23 – Hawaii Official Update (Hawaiisda.com)
From: W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS Executive Director
Re: Update as of August 15, 2023
Recovery efforts in Hawaii continue to take shape as Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations join hands to support those affected. This effort continued Monday morning, as ACS along with over 150 groups discussed the status of Recovery in Maui. The Hawaii Governor yesterday issued an order restricting the rental of rooms to those that are residents of Maui. This will enable those displaced to be able to obtain lodging. To that end, ACS continues to provide shelter for over 50 individuals that have been forced to leave their homes. Currently, we are providing lodging, food and Emotional Spiritual Care to these individuals.
In addition to providing this much needed service, ACS has been asked to work with the Donations section out of the Emergency Operations Command Center in Maui.
As of Monday August 15, fires continue burning in 3 locations and 4,890 residents are currently without power. Our Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is assisting these efforts as well with 250 employees on island at present.
ACS will continue participating in the daily conference call that is taking place each morning over the next few weeks. Yesterday morning, ACS Disaster Response held a conference call to discuss relief efforts in the coming days.
The support received had been appreciated. As suggested since the first day of this event, cash is best, and donations can be made via the following: https://adventistgiving.org/donate/ANPBB1.
After an EF4 tornado leveled the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 24, 2023 it hopscotched across other cities in Sharkey County, plus Carroll, Humphreys, and Monroe counties. The tornado began near Rolling Fork and moved 30 miles northeast through Silver City and traveled into Amory, Mississippi.
Rolling Fork, MS/ Silver City, MS – Rising Star SDA Church distribution center started the day after the tornado – Saturday, March 25, 2023.
Amory, MS – West Amory SDA Church distribution center operation started Monday, March 27, 2023.
Both disaster operations will continue through July 2023.
Many citizens have expressed their gratitude for what we have been doing in Rolling Fork. They are grateful to see a church that is helping people during their time of need. Many times people have exclaimed, “You all just don’t know how much of a help you all are!” There have also been many who we have prayed with after hearing their stories of loss and the tears that have accompanied. It will take so long to rebuild but we are here for the long haul, the response, recovery and the restoration. We are so grateful for ACS, the surrounding Adventist churches, and other partners and agencies who have assisted us in helping the city of Rolling Fork. – Pastor Shannon Crawford (Rolling Fork, MS – Rising Star)
The clients we are serving are very appreciative of what we are doing here in Amory, Mississippi. We had one lady who stopped by our distribution site and stated, “I pass by here every day and see how hard you all are working. I would like to pay for lunch for each one of you.” Others have expressed they don’t know what they would have done if we were not here providing the basic supplies that they desperately need. – Lester Armstrong (Amory, MS ACS DR Distribution Manager)
Amory, Mississippi ACS Distribution Center
Number of families served: 2,433
Number of volunteers: 397
Number of volunteer hours: 1,545
Rolling Fork, Mississippi/Silver City, Mississippi ACS Distribution Center
Number of families served: 1,782
Number of volunteers: 203
Number of volunteer hours: 974
The value of supplies distributed for both disaster operations: $64,619.00
ACS is continuing to support the community in the State of Mississippi after the horrific tornado hit last Sabbath morning. Currently, our Gulf State ACS team is on the ground assisting those whose homes and properties have been ravaged by the strong winds. Cleaning of these properties can be costly and time-consuming to the owners and in some cases these individuals don’t have the resources nor physical strength to complete these tasks. Trained ACS volunteers for this type of work have stepped in to help those affected.
ACS South Central teams continue their efforts focusing on the hard-hit areas of Rolling Fort and Amory, Mississippi. The Amory SDA Church was destroyed, and the Amory Methodist Church is partnering with them to host the Amory distribution site.
Certified ACS people will provide Emotional & Spiritual Care at one of the distribution sites to those affected by this major disaster.
………Tornadoes have touched down in Little Rock, Arkansas. Locals are accessing situation. ACS will stay abreast of the status of response to this most recent event.
The recent tornadoes in Mississippi have caused widespread damage and devastation, leaving many families without homes, food, or basic necessities. The South Central Conference Adventist Community Services Disaster Response (ACSDR) has begun to provide aid and assistance to those affected by the tornadoes.
Even in the midst of their own loss, the Amory Adventist Church is stepping up to help their community. It’s a powerful reminder that the church is not just a building, but a group of compassionate people making a difference. Please partner with ACS DR to help ensure that families have access to food, shelter, and other vital resources they need to rebuild their lives.
Ways to Contribute:
We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of ACS volunteers who are serving others during this crisis. Continue to keep them and all those affected by the tornado in our thoughts and prayers.
On January 26, 2023, the Adventist Community Services of the Florida Conference received the Excellence in Volunteerism Award.
This award was presented by Volunteer Florida. The Volunteer Florida Foundation provides funds “to administer high-impact national service programs and promote volunteerism throughout the state, while managing the Florida Disaster Fund – Florida’s official fund to assist communities with disaster response and recovery.” https://www.volunteerflorida.org/about-us/
The FL Conference ACS was moved to action into the coast area, right after hurricane Ian hit on September 2022. Two warehouses were setup, one in Fort Myers and one in Coral Springs to receive goods from different organizations across the country. Volunteers from both Florida Conference and Southeastern Conference came together to meet the needs of the survivors right after the hurricane.
Over the past 3 months, ACS has moved over 1.5 million pieces of goods for survivors. Through our partnership with Volunteer Florida and the Federal and State government, ACS have been able to meet needs daily. They have been able to connect with a wide variety of organizations that are on the ground actively helping those who are still trying to recover.
The Fort Myers warehouse is still operating even multiple months after the initial hurricane through the work of our dedicated ACS volunteers. ACS relies on our volunteers to do what we do. It would not have been possible for any of these to have happened had not been for our volunteers at our local churches.
ACS Disaster Response teams from the Southeastern and Florida conferences are currently operating two State Warehouses in Florida in response to Hurricane Ian. One is located in Fort Myers, and the other in Coral Springs, the larger of the two with 250,000 square feet of usable space. In addition, Distribution Sites have been set up at multiple churches that give ACS volunteers an opportunity to have direct contact with those affected in the community, portraying Christ’s love in action through service. Last Thursday, a delivery of goods was sent to two sites in Naples and Fort Myers. Volunteers helped unload the water and food items that are being distributed throughout this week to residents.
The South Central Conference ACS team is also rendering support on the ground in Coral Springs as a portion of their territory includes certain areas of Florida State. “It’s this collaborative spirit that strengthens ACS around the NAD, and enables us to continue to be one of the most respected organizations operating in Donations Management,” stated W. Derrick Lea, Executive Director of NAD ACS.
FEMA is providing aid to homeowners and renters in certain counties who had uninsured losses from Hurricane Ian that may be eligible for federal disaster assistance. FEMA may provide financial help with temporary housing expenses, basic home repairs, and other essential disaster-related needs. Eligible counties include Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia.
The South Central Conference Adventist Community Service Disaster Response Team (ACS DR) has partnered with the members of the South Mississippi churches, to provide some relief for the water crisis in Jackson Mississippi. The city’s clean water shortage happened after the city experienced a high level of flooding due to heavy rainfall over the last week, leaving the city without enough safe water for people to use. Read More
On June 13, 2022, catastrophic flooding due to heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt resulted in the closure of Yellowstone National Park with over 10,000 tourists evacuated. The unprecedented flooding has caused massive destruction in several surrounding communities in Southwest Montana. Road closures, collapsed bridges, damage to homes and property are forcing residents to evacuate. The Montana Conference ACS Disaster Response team has been engaged in the Recovery Efforts under the coordination of ACS Director, Gabriele Miranda-Laub.
A group of volunteers led by ACS trained member, Sheila Elwin, helped clean out areas in Livingston that were flooded and distributed 5-gallon flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies. The Southwest Montana COAD organized a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) at the Livingston Fairgrounds where people could come and get information for help from various organizations, including the State of Montana and FEMA. A MARC was also held in Gardiner last Sabbath where buckets donated by a local company were distributed.
Pastor Carlile and church members from the Billings and Bridger churches responded in the Red Lodge and Fromberg areas. Hundred flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies donated by the Upper Columbia Conference, and 200 blankets as well as some comfort kits were distributed in Fromberg. “The buckets represent a collaborative effort of ACS, Pathfinders, and NPUC Disaster Response Coordinator. Thank you to Richie Brower and Pathfinders, Larry Mays (NPUC Disaster Response Coordinator), and others who assisted in filling these buckets several months ago in readiness of such a disaster occurring,” stated Patty Marsh, ACS Director of Upper Columbia Conference.
“I want to thank all of the volunteers, as well as the Upper Columbia Conference, that have been serving in our conference and state. ‘In Christ’s name’…is what we do. God Bless each one of you, stated Miranda-Laub.
Let us keep the affected communities in prayer as they cope with this tragedy.
Adventist Community Services was one of 70 national member organizations that participated in the annual National VOAD Conference held from May 2-5, 2022, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. The theme for this year was “Empowering Resiliency”. Despite having not met in person since 2019, the 2022 Conference was well attended with over 700 people attendees, including around 350 first-time attendees. ACS leaders from the North Pacific Union Conference, and Texas, Georgia-Cumberland, Allegheny East, and Chesapeake conferences joined the NAD ACS team at the event. For some of us who were first-time attendees, the First Timer Orientation Session gave an insight on the VOAD Community and the role of the network within the disaster community.
The mission and purpose of National VOAD (National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is to provide a forum where organizations can gather to collaborate and network, sharing knowledge and resources, to effectively assist communities affected by disaster. ACS is one of the few original founding members of National VOAD which was founded in 1970 when seven voluntary organizations convened together to discuss how to improve responses following Hurricane Camille in August 1969.
There were fifty exhibitors and sponsors. Besides ACS, the exhibit hall was filled with booth displays from several other faith-based disaster response and relief organizations such as FEMA, American Red Cross, Islamic Relief USA, Salvation Army, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, Mennonite Disaster Services, Good360, and United Methodist Committee on Relief, and etc. We had ACS volunteers from the Chesapeake and Allegheny East conferences who helped us out by managing the ACS exhibit and educating people on our services.
In addition to the exhibit, the other highlights of the conference consisted of various plenary sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.
