Christian Groups in Tennessee Mobilize For Relief
In the midst of a nation-wide relief effort to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Tennessee churches, ministries, and relief organizations are also mobilizing to help their neighbors in the Gulf region.
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) recently opened up their Children’s Homes to help shelter refugees from the disaster. A total of 112 children and their families are currently residing within the property’s cottages.
“We’re in the family business,” said Ivan Raley, vice president of the Middle Tennessee Region in a news release. “Our part is just to be Christian, to be the hand of Christ. The people of Tennessee have made it possible for us to do this through their long-standing support of the children’s homes.”
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According to Raley, TBCH officials are offering to house at least one parent along with their children.
“The children are going to be traumatized already. So we’re trying to make available space where a parent can stay, either in the cottage, or maybe in the same room,” Raley said.
The TBDR has also established six in-kind donation drop-off points throughout the state. Items accepted at the drop-off points include food, diapers, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, baby food, and band-aids.
For a complete list of accepted items and drop-off points, click here.
Also providing aid is Nashville’s Church of Christ Disaster Relief, who is currently sending large trucks full of food and water to the affected area. The organization plans on sending out 5 more trucks, which can carry $85,000 worth of supplies, before the end of today.
“As long as there’s a need and there are funds to do it, we plan on helping as many people as we can,” said Executive Director Joe Dudney.
Both Church of Christ Disaster Relief and TBDR are also allowing donators to make financial contributions via their respective websites.
One of the state’s largest relief efforts comes from the United Methodist Church (UMC), who has aid going out from both its Memphis (Western) and (Middle) Tennessee Conferences.
The Tennessee Conference sent out the first of three supply trucks to Sager-Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana this afternoon.
“It’s been some work, but the response has been great,” said Gerald Taylor, chairperson of the Annual Conference Emergency Response Committee.
Another plan in development from the Tennessee Conference involves four “Early Response Teams,” which are self-contained units that will rotate into the disaster area by week to work primarily in clearing debris, according to Jason Brock, Director of Love & Justice.
In Western Tennessee, UMC members are opening up their churches, ministry centers, and homes to help shelter over 10,000 refugee in Shelby County, Memphis, according to Cathy Farmer, Communications Director for the Memphis Conference/United Methodist Church.
According to Farmer, representatives from the Memphis Conference will be meeting with Shelby County Mayor AC Wharton, Jr. to try and work out a permanent housing solution for the refugees, as well as a plan to get their children back in school.
Though the work of the two Methodist Conference is relatively independent, Brock says that unity between all the relief groups will be the key to success.
“That’s what it’s all about – nobody can do all of it on their own,” says Brock. “But if everybody just done one thing and forms partnerships with other volunteers and government organizations, then success is a possibility.”
