Many are saying it’s the worst destruction they have seen from a natural disaster. Hurricane Michael wiped out entire communities and left a path of destruction and death in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. As of this morning the death toll stood at 13 and is expected to rise. Over one million homes lost electricity.
One woman and her family who live near Panama City did not evacuate because her mother-in-law had just been placed on life support. With her home and community devastated, they are in need of everything. “Everything in the town is destroyed,” she told us. “There is so much destruction.”
Somebody Cares and our partner ministries are poised to respond to needs like this and so many more with relief teams and materials en route now and others being deployed over the weekend.
Partner CRI, based in Wilmington, North Carolina–where Hurricane Florence hit less than a month ago–deployed a Michael relief team this morning while keeping a crew at home to continue relief work there. The CRI convoy includes a tool trailer, mobile kitchen, and a truckload of supplies including generators and cleaning products. CRI has a base camp for receiving and housing volunteers and will set up a staging area at Tyndall Air Force Base.
Another Somebody Cares network partner, Starlight Disaster Services, is loading up their mobile kitchen with supplies and heading to Panama City over the weekend. A staging area will be located at a local partner church where hot meals and a POD will be provided.
Meanwhile, SC San Antonio director, Mark Roye, is collecting and loading supplies that will also be transported this weekend, along with the Holy Smoke grills.
“One of the challenges of coming into a disaster area as bad as this one is bringing the supplies,” he said. “We are strategically packing two rigs to meet the basic needs in the front of end of relief, such as food, water, and ice.”
Kiolbasa Sausage has donated 450 pounds of sausage, which is enough for 1500 hot meals. Mike Lynch from Ally Force in Minneapolis will be joining Mark and bringing another 3000 pounds of food.
“This is going to be a long haul,” Mark says, adding that it’s going to be weeks before there is any sense of normalcy–perhaps even months and years in some areas.
“We are so happy to go and represent the heart and body of Christ to hurting humanity,” he says.
Your gift today will help us bring hope by offering help in this heartbreaking situation!
There is desperate need for basic life essentials as well as assistance for long term recovery. If you have bulk donations of any items listed below, please contact us at 713-621-1498 or email [email protected] so we can direct it to where it is needed most.
ESSENTIAL NEEDS
- Generators
- Gas cans
- Non-perishable food
- Water, Gatorade like drinks, iced tea etc
- Hygiene supplies
- Diapers, rash cream, powder and baby care items
- Cleaning supplies
Gift cards are also helpful to families who have lost everything. If you or your church would like to donate gift cards, we suggest $25 and $50 Visa, MC, or AMEX cards. Please expedite them to:
Somebody Cares America
C/O Michael Relief
PO Box 925308
Houston, TX 77292
Thank you for caring!
Special thanks to Mercury One, Kiolbasa Sausage, Bolners Meat Company, and Fiesta Spice for your partnership and support!