Community in Christ, Presbyterian

Numerous trustworthy ways are available for responses to the catastrophic flooding in the mountains of Western NC and beyond. Here are a few I fully recommend:

• Giving to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance - https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/hurricane-helene/#.   To support Helene response, designate gifts to DR000169

• A Simple Gesture GSO has teamed with numerous churches and other organizations to create an emergency food drive to provide immediate support. All donations will be sent to ASG in Watauga County, housed at the Health and Hunger Coalition. Click HERE or see the images below to learn more about WHAT is being collected along with WHEN and WHERE.   

 

 

 

 

 

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• More info about the needs at Montreat Conference Center can be found at: https://montreat.org/

• Red Cross of North Carolina has plenty of info about ways to help. Click HERE for more information. 

• World Central Kitchen is now set up in Asheville. Click HERE for more information.

• The Pleasant Garden Fire Department is collecting bottled water, Gatorade, and snacks through Tue, Oct 1 at 4814 Pleasant Garden Rd.  Questions? Text or call the station at 336.674.5619

• Get Outdoors at 1515 W Gate City Blvd is a collection site for supplies needed. A list of needed items is in the image below. Please bring items to the shop during business hours. Their staff will sort, box, and label donated items taking them to the airport to get them flown into the affected areas where they can be distributed.  

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​​​Finally, I include an edited list I made from a helpful post I saw after the 2016 flooding in WV: 

 

1. Donate to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance or other well known organizations. Do your research. The best agencies spend less than 10% on overhead.

2. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL MATERIAL DONATIONS. It costs time and money to organize and distribute small donations. Affected areas will be needing truckloads of supplies in the right places at the right time. Agencies who respond to disasters on a regular basis have a process. Please do not slow the process… donate the cash you would have spent instead.

3. PLEASE RESIST THE URGE TO SELF DEPLOY. Volunteer through an organization you trust and wait to be called to go. There is no place for you to stay or eat or even get gas in the disaster zone. Those agencies responding know best what is needed and the lists of those things will change as the process of cleanup and relief progresses. You may be taking up precious resources if you just get in your car and drive to offer help. See item 8 below.

4. Prayers CERTAINLY do help! Posting or otherwise spreading rumors or unsubstantiated reports is not helpful. I have already seen some rumors that could have caused even more panic or danger.

5. Cleanup and recovery from this catastrophe will take more than a decade! It is sad to say, but public interest and concern will fade in mere days. So, be persistent in your care. Adopt a town and stay connected, build relationships slowly.

6. Concerning clothing donations… give to your local Goodwill type shop. DO NOT send clothing to the disaster zone. All too often the waves of unsolicited donations, especially clothing, are referred to as the “second disaster”. Massive amounts of clothing have had to be burned in other disaster locations.

7. If you are in the disaster zone: TAKE PHOTOS OF EVERYTHING. Do not move a tree, a car, or anything without documentation. You will need it for FEMA, for insurance, for any agency that is active in this disaster. Keep all photos and date stamp them. Get started now.

8. Please pass this on to all those of good heart who want to help. Contact National VOAD for more information https://www.nvoad.org/. They already have a page dedicated to Hurricane Helene relief! Every state has a VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). They are the information switching station for all helping organizations… from Presbyterian disaster assistance to Homeland Security, FEMA and the Red Cross.

 

Be kind and realistic with yourself about how you can help. This will be a "long haul" of recovery and relief for folks in the western part of our beloved state as well as GA, Southern VA, and East TN.

 

Bidden or unbidden, God is present!

 

Pastor Bryan