When I was a child, I remember being affected by only one hurricane. It was Camille, a category 5 storm. Landfall was in the Mississippi and Louisiana areas. By the time the remnants of the storm reached Ohio, it sparked tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and very strong winds. I was at camp at the time, and it seemed as if the cabin’s roof would be torn off. The next morning, we awoke to the damage the storms caused. There was a downed powerline which trapped us inside the cabin for a couple hours. The stream on the campground had become a raging river. There were downed trees everywhere. Even with all that, the damage was minor.
Over the past two weeks, I have watched as first Hurricane Fiona and then Hurricane Ian made landfall. Both developed into Category 4 storms with sustained winds of 155 mph. And each slammed into areas with fierce winds and storm surges that decimated Fort Meyers, Englewood, San Juan, and Toa Baja to name a few places. Some persons were unwilling or unable to evacuate in time, many needing to be rescued after the hurricanes passed.
Power has yet to be restored to most of the island of Puerto Rico. Roads are impassible in southern Florida. The bridge from Fort Meyers to Pine Island has been partially destroyed. Homes and businesses have been turned into rubble.
I have watched coverage for both of these storms since September 13th. As Fiona left Puerto Rico and headed toward Bermuda, and then Nova Scotia, our eyes turned to the second tropical storm in the region which became Hurricane Ian.
After both storms passed, stories of heroic rescues began to be shared. A man who swam ½ mile to rescue his mother. A woman who needed help escaping from her flooded car. Families that were carried by boat from their homes to drier areas. And each day, we learn more and more about the courage and determination of those impacted by both major storms.
Help has come swiftly. United Methodist Disaster coordinators are already in both regions, assessing the damage and asking how can we help? Requests for Flood Buckets aka Cleaning Kits have come from the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC). There are many ways we can help. Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Caledonia (84th Street campus) has been designated a drop-off site for these materials. They will be collecting items until October 24th.
If your church is able to donate monies, they can be sent to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC). MMDC can purchase supplies directly. Donate by texting “Donate” to 855-589-1314 or go to midwestmission.org/donate.
Your church may also contribute directly to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR): US Disaster Response and Recovery HERE
A third option is to purchase needed supplies online. I am also including the links to Walmart and Dollar Days for this option. These items can be sent directly to MMDC.
Walmart verified supplies needed: https://www.walmart.com/registry/RR/c9f2e7dc-d623-4d8e-a819-80965282d0bf
Dollar Days verified supplies needed: https://www.dollardays.com/cleaningkit/wishlist.html