Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented and massive destruction across a wide and long path, and Hurricane Milton is set to bring major damage to Florida. As United Methodists, we hurt with our neighbors and want to help however we can. The first thing we can all do is PRAY. Next, here are some ways that you can get involved and help recovery and relief efforts in the affected areas.
Help Us Make More Cleaning Kits (Flood Buckets)
Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused unprecedented and massive destruction across the southeast. Sensing an urgent need to get more kits made we coordinated efforts to collect supplies and assemble buckets.
We are so grateful for all the supplies that were sent this way! In order to get enough for our Saturday bucket packing, we had to purchase some of the items that didn’t make it to us. We would love financial donations to offset these costs. To donate, write a check to WEUMC and mark it for Disaster Cleaning Bucket Supplies or give online at westendumc.org/give.
Where To Give Monetary Donations
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, let's give generously to our neighbors experiencing the worst devastation and destruction that many of these areas have seen in years. Money is always the best way to support people in the aftermath of a hurricane. In the coming weeks we will have details on collections to replenish the cleaning kits (formerly called flood buckets) that will be needed, but for now money is the best donation.
Here are three United Methodist institutions you can give to:
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UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)- This is our disaster response arm and where the money goes far, particularly in long term recovery efforts. US Disaster Response funds will be used to mitigate disasters in the US - Click HERE to give to UMCOR
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Western North Carolina Annual Conference -This annual conference is one of the hardest hits in our connection. For those of you with direct connections to that area, this is a way to directly donate to them : Click HERE to give to Western North Carolina Annual Conference.
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Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference - You can support the TWK Response to the Hurricane Helene Disaster by giving to our conference disaster recovery fund . Checks can be made out and mailed to the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference at PO Box 440132, Nashville, TN 37244 (please note Disaster Response in the memo line). These funds will go toward supporting immediate needs in the affected areas and funding our Early Response Teams (ERT), which will be deployed to the area in the weeks ahead. Click HERE to give to TWK Recovery Fund.
Sign Up For Early Response Team Training
Lastly, people who deploy to help in the immediate aftermath of a disaster are on teams called Early Response Teams in the United Methodist Church. These are skilled folks who have been through a training, have a badge, and will be contacted and told where to go in the event of a disaster near us. Please do not self-deploy to areas in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, but if you have the desire to be on one of these teams, we’d love to get some more folks from West End trained. Early Response Teams need members with a variety of gifts and graces. If you think this is a ministry you would like to be a part of, please check your schedules and register for one of the three upcoming training events in the TWKUMC.
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Saturday, October 19 at the Purchase District Office, 2285 Jack Treas Road, Kirksey, KY 42054. Registration Deadline: October 14, 2024. Register now.
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Saturday, November 16 at MTSU Wesley Foundation, 216 College Heights, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Registration Deadline: November 4, 2024. Register now.
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Saturday, December 14 at Ripley FUMC, 145 S. Main Street, Ripley, TN 38063. Registration Deadline: December 2, 2024. Register now.
