Flood Relief Update

How You Can Help the People of the Carolinas

Southeastern Distirict, LCMS 6315 Grovedale Drive Alexandria VA 22310   www.se.lcms.org www.ineighborhoohd.org

Flooding Update

Friday, October 16

 

Dear Friends,

I thank God for you, for your generosity, and your compassion. Your response to the flooding in South Carolina is helping to bring relief to those who have lost much. A member of Risen Christ whose house had 3 1/2' of water in it said: "I didn't know my Lutheran family cared so much."

• A team from Island Lutheran arrived with 5 pallets of bottled water to City of Hope Church just as they handed out their last bottles.
• A truck with 700 flood bucket kits from the Florida-Georgia District arrived at Holy Trinity, Columbia and Mt. Olive, Irmo for distribution.

These are just a few of the ways in which people are responding.

Many of you are ready to help and have experience in recovery efforts during crisis situations. Help is needed in a variety of ways. Responders in South Carolina are using two systems to gather needs and connect volunteers to serving opportunities. There is a need for people who can help clean out homes, scrub walls, tarp roofs, simply help.

• Crisis Cleanup: https://www.crisiscleanup.org 
• Volunteer opportunities: http://getconnected.uwasc.org/drm/

Also, if you know of people who need assistance please direct them to call 211 to connect with local services.

Please share with us if you are sending a team or going to South Carolina to work so that we can record this for the larger effort.

Some updates:

Rev. Ed Grant (Calvary, Charleston) reports that there is considerable flooding in Charleston and teams will be needed. He is working with other community and church leaders to assess needs and will be back in touch. We will update you as information is available. Pastor Grant did send an incredible flood picture; as the waters crested over the fence of a congregational member's home, an alligator came in with it.

Deaconess Maggie Harris (Community Lutheran Ministry, Rochester NY) shared that many of the members of this congregation have relatives in South Carolina. She is working with families there to see if there are are ways we can partner to help.

Carl Miller (Island Lutheran, Hilton Head) will be taking a second trip to City of Hope (Columbia) with food, cleaning supplies, and water.

A team from Bethel, Claremont had a church family connection to a family affected by the flooding and they went to help and discovered others in the neighborhood whom they could serve. If you have those connections and are aware of needs, certainly respond.

Your contributions are helping with emergency housing needs of an individual who became known to us through the LCMS Information Line. As a result, we are in conversation with a hotel to see if we can provide some relief for the 12 other families who have been relocated there.

Moving Forward

If you are in a position to help with cleanup, please connect with the above addresses to find where help is needed. As we become aware of locations and opportunities we will be in touch.

Continue to pray for all who have been displaced and who found their lives interrupted. This is not an easy time for them.

Remember that this is a perfect moment to be a neighbor. We look beyond ourselves and our congregations to see all who live in our neighborhoods. Use this opportunity to check in with neighbors, share information about home emergency preparedness, and discover who may be those who would require special attention should there be a crisis in your neighborhood.

In every circumstance we turn to God, he neither abandons nor forsakes us - he is here in this moment, this crisis, our lives. All praise to him.

In His service,
Sally J. Hiller 

 

If you are moved to make a donation, you may use the donate button on our website www.se.lcms.org or send a check to:

Southeastern District, LCMS

ATTN: Disaster Relief
6315 Grovedale Drive
Alexandria VA 22310

All funds received for this effort will be used in the recovery work that will be taking place over the next months.