Hurricane Idalia Response Update: Day 13

Dear Friend,

It has been 2 weeks since Hurricane Idalia made landfall - striking Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Thanks to the generosity of our Disaster Relief partners, volunteers, and supporters like you, Inspiritus Disaster Relief teams are on the ground in Valdosta, Georgia empowering Hurricane Idalia storm survivors on their road to recovery.  

When the storm reached the southeast corner of Georgia, it devastated the city of Valdosta - with flooding, downed trees, and power outages being reported in Valdosta and the surrounding counties. In coordination with local and national partners and government agencies, we have been on the ground, helping to support the hardest-hit communities in Lowndes County, Georgia and have already completed 60 homes since our arrival.

Given the vast amount of downed trees on homes, business and public spaces, the majority of the need so far has been centered around Chainsawing and Debris Removal. We have also tended to homeowners in need of Muck & Gut and Roof-Tarping services. Our help is being provided wherever needed most, and at no cost to the homeowner. Inspiritus teams prioritize assistance to those who are most vulnerable, including families with children, seniors, veterans, and especially low-income households.

We continue to be encouraged by the open-arms, strength, and resiliency of the residents of Valdosta. Despite being personally impacted by Hurricane Idalia, the congregants of the Valdosta Church of the Nazarene have opened their doors to feed and house Inspiritus volunteers, joined our response teams in the field, and provided critical support in welcoming and recruiting new volunteers at the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) this past weekend. They are giving of their time, hands, and hearts to help their neighbors - despite many, including the Pastor and his family, being displaced themselves. 

On behalf of Inspiritus staff and communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia, we are grateful for the generous support from partners, like Valdosta Church of the Nazarene, The Home Depot Foundation, Serve Comm, Rothrock Foundation, local government agencies, volunteers, and numerous others that are helping survivors safely return home.

We will continue our Response in and around the Valdosta area through the end of September. There is still time to help and a great need for assistance of any volunteer skill level. Please call the Volunteer Hotline at (229) 531-3523, to learn how you and/or your group can get involved. The base of operations will be maintained at the Valdosta Church of the Nazarene. Consider joining us there, as we provide urgent help to the individuals and families impacted by Hurricane Idalia.

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.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

This impactful work would not be possible without the support and generosity of our Disaster Relief Partners.

• Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC)

• Lowndes Emergency Management Agency 

• Rothrock Foundation

• Serve Comm

• Sirens Project

• The Home Depot Foundation

• Valdosta Church of the Nazarene

• Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority

HOW YOU CAN HELP

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.

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.

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. You can also sign up to volunteer by calling our Volunteer Hotline at (229) 531-3523. 

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 (229) 531-3523 or visit www.weinspirit.org/drvolunteers to learn more.
 

Sincerely,
Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus