Disaster Relief Effort, Inc

Assistance on the way to Granbury, TX

admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:39:24 +0000

Last evening 5/16, a truckload full of food, personal care items, new clothing, and cleaning supplies left Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Efforts operations center in Nashville for the victims of the tornado in Granbury, TX that struck that area 5/15. This afternoon on 5/17, it will be unloaded at the Granbury Church of Christ, so that local congregation of saints can help the tornado victims in that area. Most recent word is that 100-120 homes were destroyed, most built by Habitat For Humanity, so there is a strong need in that area for what we can offer. 6 people were killed, 6 are still missing. Please pray for those in the Granbury area, and continue to support and pray for us while we strive to help local congregations reach out to disaster victims in their communities.

Truckload of Goods sent to Chicago

admin — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:13:37 +0000

A truckload of supplies from Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Efforts Operations Center in Nashville will be unloaded this afternoon at the West Suburban Church of Christ, in Berkely, IL, a suburb of Chicago. The West Suburban church leadership and members met and discussed the need of the flood victims in their area, and made the decision to go to work in their community to distribute the much needed supplies of food, personal care items, cleaning items, and other goods to their neighbors. Relationships will be built, and hopefully an opportunity will arise with victims in the area that have been lost, to share the ‘Good News’ with them!

Assistance for Tennessee Flood Victims

admin — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:38:42 +0000

Two box truck loads of food boxes, personal care boxes, infant care boxes, cleaning buckets, misc cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, bleach, sheets and pillow cases, pillows, brooms, mops, shovels, and rakes were shipped to the Dover Church of Christ in Dover, TN for assistance to flood victims in that community. The first truck unloaded April 30th, and the second truck on May 3rd.

Assistance sent to West, TX

admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:59:33 +0000

A semi-trailer full of food and supplies was unloaded today at the Lake Shore Drive Church of Christ in Waco, TX for the victims of the fertilizer plant explosion in West, TX. Distribution of the goods will take place by the West, TX Church of Christ, along with assistance from the New Road Church of Christ and the Lake Shore Drive Church of Christ in Waco. The West Church has opened their building up as a place for victims to stay, so another location was needed as a storage place for the supplies we’ve sent. Many members of the Lord’s Church are victims in West. The pulpit ministers house was destroyed, along with a Nursing Home, and apartment complex, and many homes. 50-60 people are still unaccounted for. We received many calls in the last few days from many people in Texas, and in congregations all over the country, wanting to know a way they could help. One way, if you’re unable to physically help those in West, TX, is to consider going to our ‘Donate Now’ link on this website. We can turn your dollar into 3-4 times what you could buy with it at a retail store. We will package items in a way the victims can use them without having to pick through a bunch of odds and ends. We will send new clothing and shoes, so no one has to go through used clothing, to look for a size. Let your dollars work through us, assisting the local congregations in using the supplies we provide as a tool to reach out to victims in this time when so many are feeling like they have no where to turn, when they feel alone. Allow the local congregations working the disaster to show others that the Church of Christ does care about them,…and not only about their physical needs, but we want to get to know them, and show them we also are concerned for their soul! We appreciate all of the financial assistance you give us.

The need in the Northeast is not over.

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:13:04 +0000

Even though Adairsville and Calhoun, Georgia, along with Hattiesburg, Mississippi were hit by tornadoes in February, the tornado season has not developed so far this spring in the US. Currently a new snow storm is working its way across the Northwest and Plains states, and later this week it will be pushing out a warm front in the southeast, and usually when those two mix, severe weather occurs.
Even though disasters are not being mentioned on the national news these days, many are still trying to recover from Hurricane Sandy. 95,534 homes on Long Island alone were flooded, damaged or destroyed. 38,189 had damage totaling more than 50% of its value. 113,901 victims applied for federal assistance on Long Island alone. To clean up, their is 5 million cubic yards of debris to remove! So you can imagine, with so many people living in the area hit by the hurricane, the 55 truckloads of supplies we’ve shipped since Sandy moved inland, have been a drop in a bucket. COCDRE must always be aware of our financial support, and since the media is not mentioning Hurricane Sandy much now, most tend to think the need is pretty well taken care of, yet all we have really taken care of so far, are the initial needs, and victims that didn’t have long to wait before they were able to get back into their homes. For thousands though, re-building still needs to be done, and will take place over the next year or longer while these storm victims continue to live in temporary living quarters. Many uninsured and low income families will still be needing beds, appliances, and furniture in May, and June, and for months to come. We pray that Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort will be able to provide more to assist those in the northeast as the need arises, but we realize we cannot take care of everyone. The Church is now better known in that part of the country thanks to how the local congregations have reached out to victims in their local communities…all made possible by your donations! Bible studies are taking place, relationships are being built, the Word is being spread to the lost, peoples hearts are being touched. Please continue to pray for us, and we ask also that you consider the long term recovery needs of those in the northeast as you financially support us. We need to not only be prepared for the next disaster, but to be able to further provide items for disasters that have a long term recovery period.

Mattresses & Frozen Dinners arriving at Union Beach

admin — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:45:12 +0000

This Thursday another load of mattresses and box springs will arrive at Union Beach, NJ to be distributed by the Gateway Church of Christ. Saturday morning at 8AM, a truckload of frozen dinners will be distributed at 650 Poole Ave, Union Beach. A local radio station is scheduled to have a live broadcast during the distribution. The Gateway Church of Christ is still working to reach the hurting and the lost in the local communities. Please continue to remember those whose lives were disrupted from Hurricane Sandy, and those that lost their homes in Hattiesburg, MS in your prayers. Please continue to support our efforts with your prayers, and with your much needed financial support so we can continue to purchase supplies so we are ready for this years storm season.

Support to Disaster Areas Continues

admin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:58:35 +0000

We have now shipped 6 truckloads of food and supplies to be distributed by the Kensington Woods Church of Christ, and the Helveston Road Church of Christ, both in Hattiesburg, MS. Last Saturday bulk non-perishable foods, and frozen dinners were distributed to victims in the Rockaway Beach area of Long Island by members of the Long Island Church of Christ, that meets in Bay Shore, NY. We have shipped 48 truckloads to Hurricane Sandy Victims now in NY, NJ, and CT. Tomorrow 3/5, a load of non-perishable food will be on the way to Toms River, NJ for distribution this Saturday, March 9th.
We continue to be on the look-out for major natural disasters as they happen. We are so thankful for your support, which allows us to have the supplies on hand, so we able to respond with short notice to victims in need across the US.

More supplies sent to Hattiesburg, MS

admin — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:56:27 +0000

Yesterday another truckload of food boxes, blankets, bleach, baby boxes, personal care boxes, brooms, cleaning buckets, clothing, detergent, diapers, gloves, mops, bedding, shovels, and bottled water was shipped to the Helveston Road Church of Christ in Hattiesburg, MS. This morning, February 14, around 150 volunteers packed another 1,300 food boxes so we can continue to be ready for natural disasters taking place in the U.S. Yesterday a small group of volunteers came in to work packing Personal Care and Infant Care boxes so we have a supply of them ready to be shipped also. This evening, a second truckload will leave our warehouse, to be unloaded in the morning at the Kensington Road Church of Christ in Hattiesburg, MS. Thank you for your continued support of COCDRE

Tornado hits Hattiesburg, MS Sunday afternoon!

admin — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:28:19 +0000

A tornado hit Mississippi Sunday afternoon. We have heard approximately 200 homes were affected in Hattiesburg, and we are continuing to search for further damage in some of the nearby communites. Yesterday (Monday 2/11) about noon, a truckload of supplies left our operations center in Nashville for the Kensington Woods Church of Christ in Hattiesburg. The truck is to be unloaded this morning, and distribution to tornado victims in the area is to begin at noon today. Keep these people in your prayers. If you’d like to see more pictures of the damage go to:
www.facebook.com/pages/Kensington-Woods-Church-of-Christ

Tornado’s hit Tennessee and Georgia early Thursday Morning!

admin — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:40:23 +0000

We are still assisting Hurricane victims in New Jersey, and New York but a cold front came through the southeast early Thursday morning, causing tornado damage in Tennessee and Georgia. Friday morning,(2/1) a truckload of supplies was delivered and unloaded at the Adairsville Church of Christ in Adairsville, GA. A smaller truckload was sent to the Coble Church of Christ in Centerville TN, a little over an hour from our warehouse and also distributed yesterday afternoon. This morning, (2/2) another full truckload of food, cleaning supplies, blankets, bleach, laundry detergent, water, clothing, personal care and baby care boxes left for the Calhoun Church of Christ in Calhoun, GA, to be unloaded about 9:30am. Next Weekend, (2/9) a semitrailer full of frozen dinners will be distributed to victims in the Toms River, New Jersey area. Yesterday, additional appliances were ordered for qualified victims on Long Island New York, to be distributed by the Long Island Church of Christ in Bay Shore, and the East Hampton Church of Christ to victims in the Riverhead area. A full load of mattresses and box springs will be unloaded Monday for the Gateway Church of Christ in Union Beach, NJ for additional victims in that area. Please continue to pray for these folks that still are simply trying to survive. Many still are without heat because crews cannot get around quick enough to cleanup, repair, and re-start their boilers. Long Island had windchills of zero degrees (F) within the last two weeks!