South Tornado Relief Opportunity
As many of you have heard, tornadoes have ripped through the Southeast. We are smack dab in the middle of it, with no damage in our town, and are coordinating relief efforts to areas that are not getting a lot of media attention. We are acting as a collection point for monetary donations, supplies, and volunteer help for these affected areas around us. If you are part of any group that would like to volunteer any time, please contact us. If you would like to send supplies and we will give you a mailing address. If you would like to send us a gift and designate it as tornado in the memo line, via paypal, so you don’t have to ship items, you can send it to my paypal. If there are certain items you would like to be purchased please tell us with the gift. Leave a comment to contact you via email and I will send the paypal addy.
Many of these people are poor, without electricity, food, water, sanitary items. Many people have been killed, and many families are having to bury their loved ones and friends while trying to pick up the pieces of their own homes. It’s a very tragic situation, and reminenscent of Katrina. Entire towns have been wiped off the map, and destruction is widespread. There are many who haven’t been found yet – one news report said they fear that some families who took shelter in their tornado shelters have yet to be found. There was so much debris that they have buried the shelters and the families can’t get out. We can only hope and pray they are still alive and not suffering from dehydration and starvation! Please keep these situations in your prayers!
Although Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the United Way are great organizations, the needs of the small towns are not getting as much attention as the ones in media attention. Matt has seen this first hand in Misssissippi already. We currently have 2 different teams going out to survey some towns in Alabama. Matt has seen two towns in Mississippi close to us that have been decimated. The locals are helping as much as they can, but our resources can only go so far.
Items that could be of use: water, diapers, feminine items, formula, clothes, toilitries, soap, gas for generators, paper plates, plastic utensils, shoes, towels, flashlights with batteries, coffee – or anything else you can think of.
If you own a restaraunt or grocery store, or know someone who does, this is a great way for them to donate.
Please, forward this email. We would like to get the word out. Send it to your church leaders, community organziations, boy scout troups, etc.
It really is bad. I just came back from a trip to AL. I met with people in the Western part that was destroyed. they said they need lots of help.
Many are without basic living needs like water, shelter, and diapers for their children. Most are wearing all they own on their backs. They are driving vehicles without windows as they were blown out by the wind.
I sow many people park at gas stations that were obviously living out of their cars. They would sit in the gas station to eat and relax. Some were using the bathrooms to freshen up. The gas station was operating on a generator.
Please send what you can. This is really a bad situation. The weather is getting hotter by the day and the humidity is approaching 80-90%. Another round of storms are making their way across the south tonight.
Immediate needs are bottled water, non-perishable food, diapers, towels, toilet paper, flash lights, etc.
Thank you and God bless.
Thanks for posting on my blog and keep up the good work.