By William Perkins
Editor
A first team of 41 volunteers from Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief (MBDR) is on the way to Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian’s record-setting destruction last week.
“Volunteers departed the morning of Oct. 3 from various locations across Mississippi, en route to Crossroads Baptist Church, Fort Myers, Fla., at the request of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief (FBDR),” said Hubert Yates, disaster relief director at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board in Jackson.
“Due to the length of travel — 800-plus miles — and time change, they will be overnighting in Tallahassee, at Immanuel Baptist Church,” Yates said. “MBDR will be operating in the area of landfall of the Hurricane Ian eye wall.”
Among MBDR ministry assistance requested by FBDR are mass feeding, cleanup/recovery, chainsaw, assessment, and emotional/spiritual care, according to Yates, who said MBDR volunteers will be joining Southern Baptist Convention disaster relief units from:
— Alabama.
— Arkansas.
— Florida.
— Georgia.
— Kentucky.
— Louisiana.
— Missouri.
— North Carolina.
— Ohio.
— Southern Baptist Convention of Texas.
— Tennessee.
— Texas Baptist Men.
“A number of other state convention disaster relief teams are staging to respond as the needs become clearer,” he said. “Length of MBDR service in Florida will be determined by damage assessments; most likely two to four weeks.”
Yates issued a call for available credentialed MBDR volunteers to begin signing up for Florida service by e-mailing dvail@mbcb.org or calling (601) 292-3335. For general information about credentialing and volunteering, click here.
Tax-deductible gifts to assist MBDR are being accepted. At the present time, in-kind contributions such as clothing and furniture are not being accepted. “The need right now is for critical supplies to be purchased in bulk, such as food and cleaning materials. Monetary gifts will help accomplish that,” Yates said.
Monetary gifts may be made by check, or electronically by clicking here. Checks should be made payable to Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, with “Disaster Relief” designated on the memo line, and mailed to MBCB Business Office, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, MS 39205-0530.
