Assessing Hurricane Michael damage in South Georgia
Many residents of Southwest Georgia are reeling today, their homes and communities damaged and devastated by Hurricane Michael.
Hurricane Michael, which hit the area yesterday afternoon and evening after slamming into the Florida Panhandle, ravaged much of the area for hours.
The wind was intense, uprooting trees, destroying buildings, and decimating crops. Hundreds of thousands are without power, and several counties are in a utility crisis, without power or water.
The Conference Disaster Response Team is currently working to assess the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Michael and how our conference can most effectively respond. Allison Lindsey, Associate Director of Connectional Ministries, is traveling today to Bainbridge, one of the hardest hit areas in South Georgia, with the conference shower trailer, water, and other needed supplies. Bishop Lawson Bryan, Rev. Doreen Smalls, and other conference leaders will be traveling to the Bainbridge, Donalsonville and surrounding areas tomorrow.
Early Response Teams
Early Response Teams are needed. Certified Early Response Teams are on standby from both within our conference and the North Georgia Conference and are preparing to mobilize as early as Friday. If you have a team ready to serve, please contact Luis Morales at morhilll@gmail.com or 478-335-6678. In anticipation of offers of assistance coming forth from those beyond the South and North Georgia Conferences, we will be letting others know as soon as we are requesting teams and the scope of work and skills needed to help in our recovery efforts.
Relief Kits
Our churches have been overwhelming in their generosity in collecting cleaning kits. We encourage you to continue to put these together. They will be needed in the weeks and months ahead. When it is safe to travel you can continue to drop relief kits off at the churches listed here.
Monetary Gifts
Monetary gifts will be extremely important as we respond to the affected areas. Special offerings to help with storm recovery needs may be sent to the South Georgia Conference Storm Recovery efforts. Click here to download a bulletin insert to use this Sunday.
Ways to give:
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Through your local church. Your local church will then send the money to the Administrative Services Office.
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Mail a check to the Administrative Services Office. Please use Conference Advance Special #6796 - South Georgia Storm Recovery (Disaster Response). Address: PO Box 13145; Macon, GA 31208
Questions
For Disaster Response related questions, please do not hesitate to reach out:
Allison Lindsey
Associate Director, Office of Connectional Ministries
allison@sgaumc.com | 912-393-5524
Luis Morales
South Georgia Conference Disaster Coordinator
morhilll@gmail.com | 478-335-6678
Thank You
Thank you for helping respond to and support our response efforts here in South Georgia. We are already seeing incredible ways that our local churches are "Alive Together in Christ."