Disaster Recovery Home

Resourcing and equipping
local United Methodist Churches and district offices
as they assist their communities and individuals
to prepare, respond and recover from disaster.

Oklahoma

As we continue to follow the news coming from Oklahoma, our hearts go out to those who have experienced so much loss and pain from the F5 tornado that ripped through Moore. The local United Methodist Church is active in the recovery partnering with faith-based groups as well as other organizations and agencies working to assist the survivors.

Please continue to pray and give generously to UMCOR where 100% of your financial gift will go to help the survivors. This is truly the most effective way to help those in need in Oklahoma. There are so many already there on the ground helping, but they need resources. That's where your generous gift to UMCOR can help.

UMCOR
U. S. Disaster Response Advance #901670
PO Box 9068
NY, NY 10087

You can also pay by phone or online. Simply click one of the UMCOR links above.

And please don't forget the many others still recovering from disasters -- the tornado in Texas a few days before that killed six people; the explosion in West, Texas; Sandy Recovery; Hurricane Irene recovery and the communities in the north central part of Florida who are still recoverying from TS Debby last summer (see opportunities below.)

Eventually, the media moves on, but the needs still remain.

Click here to listen a message from Greg Forrester, Assistant General Secretary for UMCOR Domestic Response. Click here for a bulletin insert. Click here to read more.

Volunteer Work Teams Needed

Teams are needed in Live Oak, Lake City and the surrounding areas of Suwannee and Columbia Counties in the north central part of Florida for rebuild from Tropical Storm Debby. If you have driven out of the state on I-75, you've driven through this area.

TS Debby came through Florida in late June. The city of Live Oak in Suwannee County received 30 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. Over 250 sinkholes were measured and documented in Suwannee County. Columbia and Suwannee Counties were among 22 counties in Florida that received a federal declaration from FEMA as a result of Debby. They were also among the hardest hit with FEMA registrations in the thousands.

If you are looking for a mission trip for your church, please consider working right here in our conference to help the people of Suwannee and Columbia Counties. You can go for a day, a weekend, or a week -- whatever time you have to give. Once your team is scheduled, please share that information with us. We may know others who are hoping to join a team. We also want to celebrate your ministry with you. When you return, we'd love to receive pictures and stories (short write-ups) that we can share with others through newsletters and the web site.

Contact information for Columbia County:

Rosy Gottschalk
(386) 752-5604 Ext. 106
unitedway@bellsouth.net

Contact information for Suwannee County:

Ben Tarpley
(478) 258-7585
btarpley@hammersandhearts.org

Is God calling you to serve? Are you responding to his call?

Many conferences in the Southeastern and Northeastern Jurisdictions need volunteers to help with recovery. Click the links to learn more.

April 2011 Storms

North Georgia Conference

North Alabama Conference

Hurricane Irene (2011) Rebuild

Teams Needed in NC!

Hurricane Sandy (2012)

Greater New Jersey Conference

Peninsula-Delaware Conference

New York Annual Conference

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Training Schedule

Community Arise Basic Disaster Ministry Training