(via UCC.org) Hurricane Helene landed in Florida on Thursday, September 26, as a category four storm empowered by high water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico. It brought a devastating 20-foot storm surge and 140 mph winds. After making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, the storm proceeded northeast into Georgia, western South Carolina, western North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee as a category 1 storm. Over 200 people have been confirmed dead, with this number expected to rise significantly.
Accuweather estimates Helene has caused between $145 and $160 billion in damage, which is also likely to rise. The magnitude of damage combined with the geography of the impacted area further exacerbates and complicates what is certain to be an extended recovery process.
Due to power outages, disabled roadways, and remaining flood waters, the full extent of the damage is still being realized. Two UCC church buildings on Florida’s Gulf Coast suffered significant flood damage because of the catastrophic storm surge, and a third experienced damage due to high winds and heavy rain.
We continue to communicate with conference staff in the Southern, Southeast, and Florida Conferences as they work to contact local congregations and become aware of their needs.
As we continue to pray for and support those who have experienced unimaginable loss this past week, we invite you to support the UCC’s recovery efforts in the following ways:
Hurricane Helene Recovery Appeal: The National Ministries of the United Church of Christ has a long history of supporting communities as they recover from disaster and their plight fades from the headlines. Your support of this appeal will ensure that communities are supported and accompanied for years as they rebuild.
Crisis Cleanup phone banking: One of the greatest needs in the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster is situational awareness and information gathering. Crisis Cleanup is looking for volunteers to help input cases into their dashboard. This dashboard is used by response organizations to efficiently coordinate and deploy immediate resources. If you are interested in this remote volunteer opportunity, please sign up here.
Hygiene and Cleanup Bucket assembly: One of the biggest requests is the need for cleanup buckets. UCC congregations interested in assembling cleanup buckets are eligible for a matching grant through the Global HOPE office.
Thank you for your assistance in helping families and communities who are in great need in the aftermath of Helene. Your heartfelt support will make a difference.
You can also mail a check payable to the United Church of Christ, PO Box 71957, Cleveland, OH 44194. Please be sure to note “Hurricane Helene” in the memo section of your check.