news article
How UNY can help those hit hard by Hurricane Dorian
September 3, 2019 / By Mike Block, UNY Director of Missional Engagement / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Hurricane Dorian has devastated the Bahamas, especially the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. The storm basically came to a standstill as it pummeled the islands, causing major flooding, extreme destruction, and even death. Now its path is set to hit parts of Florida and move up along the East Coast, bringing even more damage and destruction. Watching and hearing all the news coverage only creates a sense of urgency to help despite the fact that we’re more than a thousand miles away. While the storm is short in duration, rebuilding will take years.
As the Director of Missional Engagement for the Upper New York Conference, I urge you to do the following:
- Pray for those affected and in the path of Hurricane Dorian.
- Urge your congregation to take up a special offering. Make the announcement in advance so people can be prepared. Forward these funds to the Conference Office with a single check, made out to Upper New York Conference with "Disaster Relief" written on the memo line.
- If you have a Facebook account, click on Upper New York Conference’s Facebook page and click the blue “donate” button under the cover photo using a credit/debit card. All donations will go to relief efforts.
- Assemble UMCOR-approved cleaning and hygiene kits either with the help of your church or individually. All kits should then be brought to UNY Mission Central HUB in Liverpool for transportation to UMCOR Sager-Brown Depot in PA. Click here for assembly instructions.
There will come a time when United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) will ask for volunteers to assist with the clean-up and rebuilding process. If you want to be a part of an organized UNY mission team, please wait for the call to respond and don’t act in advance. To become part of an Early Response Team (ERT) or Team Leader Training (TLT), click here to learn about and register for a course in November. Check back often as the page is updated often with new information.
Donations outside of the UMCOR-approved supply lists will not be accepted. For questions or more information, please contact me at (315) 898-2066 or mikeblock@unyumc.org. Together, we can make a difference.