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.
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 Willow Grove Adventist Community Services Center is one of several ACS Centers that are still responding to the needs of communities impacted by Hurricane Ida. They organized a distribution event on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, where boxes of food, clothing, comfort kits, and other items were distributed. North American Division ACS Director, Derrick Lea, visited the center to assess the recovery efforts that have been taking place around New Jersey and Pennsylvania over the last two months.
The distribution was scheduled to start at 11:00 am. However, Lea arrived at 10:30 am to see a line of cars already wrapped around the church, leading to the Community Center. As he got out of his car, he was stopped by a young lady that saw his golden yellow shirt and began thanking him, though he had done nothing at all. As he walked towards the entrance of the Center, he realized why she thanked him as he saw a sea of yellow ACS Disaster Response shirts taking the goods and piling them up in the parking lot. There were around 20 ACS volunteers that were busy at work serving the long line of cars. As they were serving the community, Lea quickly thanked them, and they returned to servicing those who were arriving. Though it was the middle of the work week, people had been coming for over an hour and this continued for three more hours.
“This is the community work that shows our care for those often overlooked, and the looks on the faces, and thanks in the voices of those helped can’t be measured. The Allegheny East Conference had received a grant from the NAD for this type of work, and Director Smith said he had around 25 churches that were able to do the same type of work around the affected area,” stated Lea. “I only had a chance to view one such location, but others similarly are serving their communities as well, and while this work might not get the exposure far and wide, those helped appreciate what the Seventh Day Adventist church is doing in their community,” continued Lea.
Though Hurricane Ida touched down in Louisiana over a month ago on August 29, 2021, several communities affected by this tragic disaster event continue to struggle. ACS at the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference has been engaged in the Recovery Efforts under the leadership of Lavida Whitson, conference ACS Director, who had been gathering various goods over the past number of years. Fortunately, these much-needed goods that were on hand were ready to be distributed to community members through a Distribution Center that was set up in Hammond. However, there were some families that didn’t have the ability to travel the long distance to Hammond which led to ACS coordinating mobile distributions in certain areas. In addition to giving away supplies, ACS volunteers also assisted with debris cleanup.
On October 9, 2021, Sabbath morning, fifteen ACS team members came together to assist the small town of Maurepas by providing them comfort kits and cleaning tools such as shovels, brooms, mops, and other cleaning supplies. Initially, no one showed up, and then Lavida realized that they had done everything but pray, so she offered the first prayer. And then, another team member gave a closing prayer to request God’s presence in their work. At the close of his prayer, they opened their eyes to see a line of cars patiently waiting on them. At this point the team sprang into action and continued doing so until everything they had was gone.
While assisting in Maurepas, a contact from the Indian Nation had reached out asking for help. During the Katrina Recovery Efforts, ACS assisted the Houma Indian Nation for many months, and based on this history, they were asking if we might be able to assist with Ida Recovery also. NAD ACS Director, Derrick Lea, along with Whitson, met with the Vice Principal Chief of the Houma Nation to get an overview of what the needs were within his community and ascertain how ACS could be of support. The Nation was made up of around 17,000 individuals out of which many had been displaced. Even though rebuilding of the homes was determined to be the greatest need, clothing, bedding, and other household items were also in demand. The local ACS team is putting goods together for distribution in this community. They will carry out similar work in other impacted areas as well, in the next few days. “ACS will continue serving though the news no longer highlights this continued need. One resident approached me as we surveyed the damage to the Houma Nation radio station and asked, “What are we supposed to do?” While I didn’t have a good answer, I did express to her our intent of helping her and people like her with the goods that we have. My hope is these efforts combined with others will ensure a livable situation for many that have been overlooked,” stated Lea.
The Southwest Region Conference has been housing residents from New Orleans and surrounding areas whose homes had to be evacuated, at various locations around the conference office. The largest facility that was able to accommodate most people was the Lone Star campground in Athens, Texas. In addition to ACS providing aid, other departments from the conference have stopped by such as the Family Ministries Director, W.S. Lee, who met with many individuals on the campground. Since social distancing rules are in place, the number of people will be kept to a reasonable amount before they’re directed to other facilities such as WHO (World Harvest Organization) and Fondren in Houston who have prepared their churches for any overflow. The evacuees are provided with food and other essential items, as well. The Arkansas-Louisiana Conference is preparing to set up a Mobile Distribution into some of the hardest-hit areas by collecting goods that will be used for this operation. However, people are being asked not to come into the area due to the high flood waters, downed power lines, and fallen trees. Hammond and Grand Isle were hit the hardest as the storm swept through these areas as a Category 3 hurricane.
On Sunday afternoon, August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf coast as a Category 4 storm, severely affecting Louisiana and Mississippi with drenching rains, relentless winds, and massive storm surge. More than 2,500 people fled Ida’s path and spent Sunday night in community shelters. Over one million residents are currently without power across Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Many neighborhoods that are still recovering from the devastation of hurricanes in 2020 are now facing flooded homes yet again, along with a daunting recovery process. And Hurricane Ida isn’t done yet; expected flash flooding, damaging winds, and significant rainfall will continue as the storm moves north this week.
We have been in constant contact with our ACS leadership at the local conferences who are currently on the ground with their Disaster Response teams rendering support to the affected communities. Southwest Region Conference ACS Director, Durandel Ford, is leading his team in providing food and other needed items through mobile distribution. They are also setting up shelters at a few local churches to house evacuees. ACS Director of Arkansas-Louisiana Conference, Lavida Whitson, is working with her team to compile supplies that will be used either at a specific point of Distribution or take them into the devastated areas.
Please remember in your prayers the communities who have been affected by this disaster event.
Photo Credit: Edmund D. Fountain for The New York Times
Tremendous efforts in response to the tragic fires that have been burning over the last few weeks continue to take place on the West Coast. The North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) and Pacific Union Conference (PUC) ACS leadership are supporting their local conferences who are working within the affected communities. In Oregon, our NPUC ACS DR Coordinator Larry Mays, is leading the efforts at both the Warehouses in Salem and Grants Pass which are still operational. Volunteers from Washington, South Central, Montana, and Rocky Mountain conferences are assisting at facilities that will continue to function in partnership with the State for some time. The Northern California, Central California, and Southern California conferences are providing relief to those who have been hit hard by the burning fires. Charlene Sargent, Pacific Union ACS Director, has coordinated the delivery of essential goods to each of the affected areas.
Read latest brief on the Northwest fires by Byron Dulan, NPUC ACS Director.
Northwest ACS is seeking for volunteers to assist with Warehouse Management operations. Click here, if interested.
While the West has been struggling with the aftermath of the fires, other regions around our Division have also been experiencing crisis. Louisiana has been struck or threatened by tropical storms or hurricanes each week over the last two months, which has led to a dearth in goods for some of our conferences assisting in the State. The Southwest Region Conference has partnered with several groups to support our Distribution Centers that are operating in these areas. Irene Williams, ACS Coordinator, has been hosting weekly food distribution for the community.
The Florida Conference ACS Team had set up a Warehouse in Pensacola in response to Hurricane Sally that made landfall in September near Gulf Shores, Alabama, and moved through the Florida Panhandle. However, since the need has not been as great as anticipated, they had over 1,500 ACS clean-up buckets, along with 200 large tarps that had not been used. Conrad Duncan, Florida ACS Director, was looking for a way to distribute them to those in need. Aware of the shortage of supplies in Louisiana, we reached out to our Arkansas-Louisiana Conference ACS Director Lavida Whitson, who readily accepted to receive the buckets and tarps which were delivered this Sunday. This was an answer to prayer as they thought that they would have to close their Distribution Sites. Now, many more individuals and families can be helped with these much needed goods.
Photos of the transfer of goods from Florida Conference to Arkansas-Louisiana Conference.
The South Louisiana Community Services Federation Officers and its constituents are grateful for the tremendous support received from several groups for the Hurricane Laura Aftermath Project. The Westbank United SDA Church obtained the U-Haul truck which carried supplies to be distributed in the Lake Charles area on September 8, 2020. The supplies such as food, water, and masks were donated by Westbank United, Ephesus at Covington, Ephesus at New Orleans, Berean, Faith, Caffin Avenue, Fondren, Smyrna, Emmanuel (at Hammond) SDA Churches, Norbert Doxon (Marrero SDA Church), Vera Ragland, South Louisiana Youth Federation, Clio Place Baptist Church, St. Claire Oliver (St. Mary’s Baptist Church), American Red Cross, NENA’s, Feeding Ministry of Mandeville, LA. , City of New Orleans Neighborhood Engagement, and Baptist Community Ministries.
The Hurricane Laura survivors also received gift cards from South Louisiana Federation, Ephesus SDA Church, and Glen and Sherlette Burkhalter. As a coordinated effort, they were able to serve 400 people. On September 13, 2020, the Fondren SDA Church of Houston, Texas, traveled to Lake Charles with more supplies in a 16-foot truck to provide to those affected. “A Spiritual Hats off to all of our pastors, especially Elder Durandel Ford, Community Services Director of Southwest Region Conference, and our President Calvin Watkins who were in full bloom in terms of their support and communication,” said Irene Williams, M.S.W., A.C.S. Coordinator of Southwest Region Conference.
The South Louisiana Community Services Federation Team members are:
Irene H. Williams, MSW, Coordinator
Lyn Hakeem, MSW, Assistant Coordinator
Leslie Hutchinson, BA, Assistant Coordinator
Sherlette Burkhalter, MS, Treasurer
Lucinda Keller, LPN, Advisor
Carrie Cyprian, Advisor
Elder Gwendolyn Garrison, LPN, Recording Secretary
Stephanie, RD, Reporting Secretary
Arlene Mossey, BS, Chaplain
As Hurricane Dorian was developing and threatening the East Coast, ACS Teams were ready and on stand-by to serve survivors as needed.
The South Atlantic Conference team opened a shelter in Orangeburg, SC. There were around 150 people housed on their campground until they were able to return safely home.
Florida and Southeastern Conferences opened collection centers throughout the state to receive goods that would help those affected by the storm. Letter from the President of Southeastern Conference.
Carolina and Georgia-Cumberland Conferences stood by ready and waiting for touchdown of the hurricane in parts of their area.
We are thankful that the Hurricane did not wreak havoc in the North American Division territory, and we praise God that even though most of our conferences were unaffected, our teams were ready and prepared for the worst.
Click here for more information from The South Bahamas Conference and how you can help.
We appreciate all your prayers and support.
On December 8-9, a group of 30 young people and adults from Austin and San Antonio traveled to Refugio to assist with a Rebuild Project in response to Hurricane Harvey that had devastated several areas in Texas last year. Under the leadership of Marshall Gonzales, Texas ACS Director, they had planned on repairing eleven houses. However, due to the rains on Saturday, they mainly focused on those that needed interior work. The Team ended up working on four houses and the Community Center in Bayside.
In the first house, they painted a room and made a frame for a window. They also made a step for the resident and replaced the soffit outside on Sunday. For the second house, our Disaster Response Team drywalled a room after which they did the tape and float. The next house had two rooms and the bathroom cleaned by fumigation. It was in very bad condition. While the young people were cleaning, roaches would fall on them, but they just kept on working until they got it all done. For the last house, they drywalled the living room, ceiling, two bedrooms, and two closets. The homeowners were extremely happy and grateful with all that was done to their homes. One owner was so overwhelmed with emotions that he said it gave him hope.
Since Sunday was a very sunny day, they painted the exterior walls of the Community Center of the city of Bayside. They bought the material there in Refugio, and the workers of the building supply company was so thankful that the materials were purchased there and not brought in from somewhere else. They were also very appreciative of our Team for their services to the affected community.
Marshall Gonzales said, “I was glad to see the young people who came out to help. We specifically are targeting Master Guides and young adults to help in the recovery work.” He added, “We look forward to doing more projects in Refugio.” Besides Austin and San Antonio, youth from the Dallas, Houston, and Valley areas will also be participating in the Rebuild work.
A team of 21 individuals from the Northeastern Conference joined our ACS Disaster Response forces on the ground in Florida to support the Southeastern, Florida, South Central, Gulf States, and Georgia-Cumberland Conferences responding to Hurricane Michael, presently. The State Warehouse in Tallahassee has now been operational for almost two weeks. Pastor Daniel Hoover (Arkansas-Louisiana Conference) and Charlene Sargent (Pacific Union Conference) are lending their support to the operations at the Warehouse. A County Warehouse in the State of Georgia, and Distribution Sites in Panama City and in the surrounding communities are also functioning. We are also meeting the needs of the affected residents by cleaning debris from homes and properties.
While this work continues, we are still occupied with our Guam-Micronesia Mission in support of those affected on the Islands of Saipan and Tinian by Typhoon Yutu. Several areas on both the Islands are still suffering from power outage. We have been working with our local ACS Director Max Mays and his Team to find ways on how we can best serve the affected communities. Supplies have been bought and sent to our volunteers on the ground to be distributed to the survivors. Currently, we are in discussions with FEMA and the local VOAD about the developing needs and while help is being finalized, we are working amongst ourselves and partnering with others that are able to bring resources to bear on this crisis event.