Responding to Hurricane Dorian

Updated September 10

As rescue and recovery efforts begin following Hurricane Dorian, our prayers are with all impacted by the storm and with our neighbors in the Bahamas. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief) has awarded a solidarity grant to Bahamas Methodist Habitat, the Disaster Ministry of the Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church. Bishop Theophilus Rolle, president of the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands Conference of the Methodist Church, said that the hurricane's force has resulted in "an unimaginable living nightmare" there. 

Updates from North Georgia

Dorian's impact in North Carolina is under assessment and North Georgia Conference Early Response Teams (ERTs) are standing by to serve as needed. 

As the hurricane approached the Georgia and South Carolina coast over Labor Day weekend, Trinity on the Hill UMC in Augusta was activated as a Red Cross Shelter for hurricane evacuee. The church welcomed 174 guests with a meal and a safe, comfortable place to take shelter. 

Rev. Scott Parrish, our Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, is in communication with surrounding annual conferences and UMCOR.

"I have been in contact with the United Methodist conferences in Florida, South Georgia, South Carolina, & North Carolina, and have pledged our prayers as well as our assistance upon their request," said Parrish.

Be reminded that teams from North Georgia do not self deploy, but wait on an invitation to respond. 

How to Help

Our best response:

• Prayer: Please join us in prayer for all those impacted by this storm.
• Giving: To help the recovery effort in the Bahamas, give to UMCOR through North Georgia using Fund #8430. To help the recovery effort along the U.S. coast, donate through North Georgia domestic disaster fund using #4390.
• Donated Items: There are no requests for donated items at this time. 
• Disaster Response Warehouse: If your church makes UMCOR kits please be sure to coordinate with Conference Disaster Response (Rev. Matt Murphy at 404-403-5233 or Headland Heights UMC at 404-344-0144) prior to setting your plans so that we know the delivery date and number of kits as the warehouse has limited space. Always coordinate delivery with volunteer warehouse in advance and bring enough volunteers to unload without assistance. The warehouse is open limited days and hours by appointment.

Stay Informed

Our North Georgia Disaster Response webpage has key information and contacts. Be sure to check www.ngumc.org/DisasterResponseMinistry regularly for information on how we can best prepare and respond in times of disaster.