HURRICANE IKE
11/14/08 UPDATE
Volunteers are DESPERATELY needed in Bridge City. Please contact Laura to schedule your trip 937-308-2259.
Over 1800 families have been assisted.
Over 24,000 meals have been served.
Over 60 houses have been worked on.
Over 450 different volunteers have come to work (many have come several times)
We still have over 700 families in need of assistance on their houses. PLEASE CONSIDER WORKING WITH US, WE NEED YOU!
You can donate online through Paypal or by postal mail to:
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
C/O Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, FL. 32904
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10/24/08--DRT continues to work in Bridge City, Texas. So far approx. 14,000 meals have have been served, over 250 volunteers have worked with us so far here in Bridge City, with many returning several times.
Currently we are cooking and serving meals to the volunteers and community, distributing new clothing, food, cleaning supplies, personal care items, baby items, etc. We've also provided many school supplies to the local schools for the children. DRT volunteers have been gutting and disinfecting the houses and many are in the process of drying out. When the drying out stage is complete we will begin with the rebuilding stage.
As we begin the rebuilding phase, WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF FUNDS!
The City of Bridge City has over 3600 houses. Only 14 of those houses were not affected by the surge from Hurricane Ike. Most of those had no flood insurance because they were not in a flood zone. Many of those that did have flood insurance are not covered because it was "surge" rather than flooding.
WE ARE PLEADING WITH YOU TO PLEASE HELP US, HELP THOSE HERE IN BRIDGE CITY!!
FUNDING IS URGENTLY NEEDED TO CONTINUE SERVING THE MEALS AND TO PURCHASE BUILDING MATERIAL FOR THOSE WITHOUT INSURANCE (WHICH ARE MANY) Please remember NONE of these people are able to return to their homes. Many are living in tents outside of their homes, some are living in their cars, others in cramped quarters with family members, etc.
THE KITCHEN IS STILL DESPERATELY NEEDED SINCE THE FAMILIES CAN'T COOK IN THEIR HOUSES AND WITHOUT INSURANCE BUILDING MATERIAL IS DESPERATELY NEEDED AS WELL. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING WITH FUNDING. YOU MAY DO SO ONLINE THROUGH PAYPAL OR BY POSTAL MAIL TO:
CHURCHES OF CHRIST DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM
C/O MELBOURNE CHURCH OF CHRIST
810 HOLLYWOOD BLVD.
WEST MELBOURNE, FL. 32904
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9/27/08--DRT is now working with the Bridge City Church of Christ with the help of the Ridgewood Church from Beaumont. The entire town of Bridge City was under water. EVERY family was flooded. They DESPERATELY and URGENTLY need our help! Please click on the link to the blog on the left of this page for more details.
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9/20/08--DRT has been serving meals to the Beaumont community from the parking lot of the Ridgewood Church of Christ in Beaumont, Texas. There is still a mandatory evacuation in Beaumont and an 8 pm - 6 am curfew. Most of the city is still without power and the water is still not drinkable even with boiling. Volunteers have been going out and cutting trees and working on houses. We've also been working in Orange and Bridge City clearing out/gutting and mucking out houses following the flooding/surge from IKE. All of Bridge City was under water with about 5' of water flooding the houses. We will also be serving meals in these areas beginning next week Lord-Willing.
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Please click on the blog to the left to see pictures and more information. Volunteers and donations are URGENTLY needed.
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9/18/08-DRT IS ACCEPTING VOLUNTEERS at the Ridgewood Church of Christ in Beaumont. We are working in the Beaumont,Orange, Bridge City, Rose City areas. Areas further south are being assessed for needs and updates will be provided as we have them. DETAILS FOR VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED ARE LISTED ON THE BLOG.
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9/16/08- DRT is hosting a luncheon at Ridgewood Church of Christ with the Beaumont, TX area congregations today to discuss needs. We will then be making assessments in areas further south today and tomorrow. DRT coordinators will be working here in Beaumont and surrounding areas as assessments are being made in the other areas. MORE DETAILS AND INFO ARE ON THE BLOG - PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK TO THE LEFT.
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9/14/08- Several DRT 1st Response Coordinators have arrived in the gulf coast areas devastated by Hurricane Ike. More coordinators will be arriving tomorrow. Please see the blog for more detailed information by clicking on the link to the left.
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9/13/08 UPDATE--Hurricane Ike made landfall early today. Although it was "only" a high end catagory 2 hurricane, the size of Ike is what has helped to make this hurricane so strong and dangerous. It has caused major flooding and devastating wind damage in many cities as well as states. DRT has 1st Response coordinators and equipment in place ahead of the storm to allow for quick assistance to be given.
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9/10/08 DRT has made arrangements in advance of Hurricane Ike to partner with congregations all along the Texas coastline. No matter where Ike makes landfall DRT will be there immediately to assist the local congregations. We have coordinators and equipment on their way to a predetermined staging area. Where we will be able to immediately respond. The National Hurricane Center is predicting Ike to be a very large hurricane which could possibly be larger in size than Hurricane Katrina. They are currently predicting landfall winds of a high end catagory 3 or catagory 4 with wave heights of 20' that will cause flooding as well as wind damage. DRT has the Mobile Kitchen, supply trailer, shower trailer, and tool trailers on their way to respond immediately.
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FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THIS AND UPCOMING DISASTERS THIS YEAR. DRT PUCHASES THE FOOD THAT IS SERVED TO ENTIRE COMMUNITIES IN THE DISASTER AREAS AS WELL AS BUILDING MATERIALS, HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES, TOOLS, DEBRIS REMOVAL, ETC. IF YOU FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO HELP IN THIS WAY, YOU MAY SEND FUNDS ELECTRONICALLY ONLINE OR BY POSTAL MAIL TO: CHURCHES OF CHRIST DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM C/O MELBOURNE CHURCH OF CHRIST 810 HOLLYWOOD BLVD. WEST MELBOURNE, FLORIDA 32904
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IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE OR WOULD LIKE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED PLEASE CALL 937-308-2259. PLEASE KEEP THESE FAMILIES IN YOUR PRAYERS!!
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Please keep checking the blog and web site for further information or feel free to give us a call. 937-308-2259
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A REMINDER OF WHAT THE DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM OFFERS:
- Trained 1st Response Volunteer Coordinators brought in to help your congregation set up a relief effort working with distribution, clean up and rebuilding phases.
- 30' Commerical Mobile Kitchen Unit brought in to serve 3,000-5,000 meals/day to community and volunteers.
- 1st Response Semi Tool Trailer and several additional stocked tool trailers brought in loaded with generators, chain saws, shovels, hammers, wheelbarrows, basically any tool that will be needed by volunteers.
- RV's brought in to help house volunteers.
- Shower trailer for volunteer use.
- Database of thousands of volunteers who have signed up with DRT that are called in to work.
- DRT helps to purchase food and building material.
GULF COAST UPDATE (KATRINA)
DRT is keeping in touch with the congregations along the gulf coast. We continue to send volunteers and building material to help those who are still in such desperate need. **** So many of you have made such a tremendous impact on the lives of people in the gulf coast. You have prayed, written encouragement letters, assembled care packs. You’ve gutted out nasty houses, cut trees, hung drywall (or sheetrock as they call it in the south), taped drywall, listened to the stories (sometimes over and over) of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. You’ve cooked meals, hugged necks, led Bible studies, baptized those who were ready to put on Christ. You have allowed GOD to work through you to show HIS love. You have made a difference in the lives of those you may have just met and even those who you may never meet. Over 4,400 of you have volunteered, helping over 5,600 families. There has been over $800,000.00 in building material purchased just in the areas we've been working. 15 local schools helped, 400 backpacks given to school children, Over 5,000 meals cooked and served and hundreds of baptisms!!! PRAISE GOD!!
Our Vision
The task before us is to bring the Good News of the Gospel to disaster survivors. Our commitment is to strengthen the local church. Many people and organizations will come and go during the course of a disaster, but it is the local church that can be the enduring reminder that love and support was found and help was given. Therefore, we commit ourselves to work with the local congregations to effectively and efficiently serve disaster survivors in Christ's name so they will find truth and hope.
Who We Are And What We Do
The Disaster Response Team is immediately available to the local congregation(s) in the disaster stricken area. The purpose of the Disaster Response Team is to aid the local congregation in recruiting and receiving volunteers to assist with the emotional and spiritual needs of the disaster victims and to assist them in the clean-up and rebuilding stage. The Disaster Response Team will bring the following to the disaster site to aid the local congregation in reaching out to their community:
- Mobile Kitchen
- Mobile Shower Trailer
- Trained Coordinators
- Completely stocked tool trailers
- Health kits
- Clean-Up kits
- Baby kits
- School kits
Types of Disasters
The Disaster Response Team may be called upon to respond to a wide variety of disasters. Some have natural causes. Others are related to human activity. Natural Disasters include floods, tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes. Human related disasters encompass such tragedies as fires, explosions and terrorist related activities.
How to Help
Please keep the Disaster Response Team in your prayers along with those affected by disasters. Skilled or unskilled, God can use you for this work. If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering for future relief efforts, whether it be for a day, a week, or longer, you may call the Disaster Response Team at 937-308-2259.
Contact Information
The Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is overseen by the Melbourne Church of Christ Elders, Melbourne, FL.
Telephone
- 937-308-2259
Postal address
- 810 Hollywood Blvd, West Melbourne, FL 32904
Electronic mail
- General Information: info@churchesofchristdrt.org
- Webmaster: webmaster@churchesofchristdrt.org
Send mail to webmaster@churchesofchristdrt.org with questions or comments about this web site.