Hurricane Idalia Response Update: Day 7

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A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

"It has been a whirlwind 24 hours. On my visit this week to Ground Zero for Hurricane Idalia in Georgia, I met Lonnie Grant, pastor of the Valdosta Nazarene church. The church has laid out the warm welcome mat and is hosting Inspiritus volunteers around the clock and from around the country.

In the photo above, you will see that his home was nearly destroyed when a 80 foot pine tree came slicing through the side of the house while he and his wife Donna were inside. They have been displaced, are living in a motel, and likely won't be able to return to their home until sometime in 2024. When I asked him about what brings him comfort and support, he said, 'what brings me comfort is offering help to someone else...because I know what it feels like to live through the storm.'

This is the second disaster that Lonnie has been through. That is partly why he and his church members are sacrificing their space, so that Inspiritus volunteers can have a simple place to lay their head at night. The church kitchen, fellowship hall, and every Sunday school classroom is occupied by volunteers.

There is no end in sight to the work. In the photo below, you see a map of all the home owners in Valdosta who have requested help. We learned from the Emergency Management Agency that 1000 homes have either been destroyed or are majorly impacted by the storm in the Valdosta area alone."

WHAT WE ARE DOING

Project Tasks & Activities:

  • Capacity Building: Inspiritus staff are coordinating with local emergency and city/county officials to assist with local capacity building efforts. While staff are actively supporting operations in and around the Valdosta area, they are also assisting leaders in other local towns and counties to help them assess and manage the people and resources they need. Towards the end of our Response, Inspiritus staff plan to offer advisement and support for the development of Long-Term Recovery planning and committees, as needed. 

  • Volunteer Housing: Inspiritus has setup volunteer housing at Valdosta Church of the Nazarene, with the capacity to accommodate overnight volunteers on a daily basis. We would like to give a huge thank you to Sever Comm, who has provided our volunteers on base with a shower and laundry trailer.  

  • Home Assessments, Debris Removal, Roof-Tarping and Chainsaw Services: Volunteers are conducting home assessments and are providing free Chainsaw, Debris Removal, and Roof-Tarping services for local residents’ homes where it's safe to enter.

  • Support & Care: Volunteers are accompanying survivors as they navigate one of the most difficult tragedies and challenges of their lives. In this accompaniment, we walk alongside each individual we come in contact with, helping them to tap into the resilience within themselves. Prayer and spiritual encouragement is often greatly appreciated by many survivors and Inspiritus volunteers often provide this comforting and empowering form of care, when it is welcomed. Hope and hugs are often powerfully strengthening for survivors during their darkest hours.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

VOLUNTEER:

This work would not be possible without the HEROIC volunteers and Team Leads living at our local Volunteer Housing Camp, who have come in from around the country to lend their time, hands, and hearts to empowering the residents of South Georgia.

Inspiritus staff are on the ground setting up a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC), which will be up and running by 7:30am on Saturday, September 9th. The VRC will be located at 1901 Barack Obama Blvd, Valdosta, GA 31601 and will act as a centralized hub to recruit, organize, and manage daily volunteers. Stopby this Saturday between 7:30am-4pm to learn how you can help.

Please consider volunteering and joining our team on the ground! You will not only impact the life of storm survivors, but will also be forever changed from this rewarding volunteer experience. You can sign up to volunteer by clicking the button below.

DONATE:

Donate to Inspiritus. The more funding we raise, the longer our teams can stay on the ground continuing to help families and individuals impacted by Hurricane Idalia. Your support will provide free Debris Removal, Roof-Tarping, and Chainsaw services to help families affected by the storm, especially those who can't recover without help.

Prayerfully consider joining us on the ground in Valdosta, GA now through September 30th. All skills and ages are welcomed. Please call the Volunteer Hotline at 1-800-775-0906 or visit www.weinspirit.org/drvolunteers to learn more.

Sincerely,

John R. Moeller Jr.
President & CEO
Inspiritus