Helping the People of Eastern NC Find Their Way Back Home
The mission of Disaster Response & Recovery is two-tiered: early response & response & recovery.
Early Response: The mission of an Early Response Team (ERT) is to provide a caring Christian presence in the immediate aftermath of disaster. Early Response Teams function as a cooperative effort between the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM). For those wishing to be part of a team, specific ERT training and certification is required, Training sessions are offered throughout the year at various locations in the conference.
Response & Recovery: The Disaster Call Center receives requests for assistance from disaster survivors – and offers from those who want to help – while conference personnel assess damage. Soon, work centers are established in various geographical areas. Meanwhile, conference personnel begin defining the need and developing the ability to respond with long-term assistance if needed.
The success of each part of our mission relies on our VOLUNTEERS! They power our disaster response effort. They understand that the opportunity to invest ourselves in mission to honor God is a great privilege. They help our North Carolina neighbors find their way back home.
Hurricane Matthew Response
Background
October 8, 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit North Carolina with devastating effects. The 10-14 inches of rain fell on areas already drenched from 10 inches of rain in late September, causing extensive flooding of the Lumber, Neuse and Tar rivers.
Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. Twenty-six people died in storm-related incidents across the state. March 26, 2017, the World Meteorological Organization announced that the name Matthew was retired due to the extensive damage and loss of life it caused along its path, especially in Haiti, the Bahamas, and the United States.
Work of the NC Conference
NC Conference work teams continue their recovery and re-building projects, based out of five counties: Bertie, Beaufort, Cumberland, Edgecombe and Robeson. Conference staff and volunteers plan their execute their work from five work centers based in Fayetteville, Lumberton, Tarboro, Washington and Windsor.
As of September 2017, about 7,382 volunteers representing about 635 work teams have offered helping and hearts to mitigate the losses of those in our conference affected by Hurricane Matthew. Of the 310 requests for assistance, 82 remain open.
How to Help:
- Pray for those affected and those who are helping. Follow the Hurricane Matthew story for updates of needs and responses.
- Volunteer your time and talents. Call 888.440.9167 or email disasterresponse@nccumc.org.
- Give of your financial resources to help storm survivors. 100% of your donation goes to response/relief efforts.
Stay Connected:
- District Disaster Response Contacts
- NCCUMC Disaster Response on Facebook
- NCCUMC Disaster Response on Twitter
Helpful Info: