Help After Helene: The Latest in the UMCSC
By Jessica Brodie
South Carolina continues to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Helene ravaged the region Sept. 26-27, flooding communities, uprooting trees, destroying roads and bridges, sweeping away homes, and ultimately claiming more than 230 lives, including 48 in this state alone.
It was thought to be the deadliest inland hurricane to impact South Carolina in history and knocked out power to millions of homes. Some are still without power as of today. In South Carolina, 47,255 were still without power as of Oct. 7.
In the aftermath of the disaster, United Methodists churches and individuals have been working hard to help others, as well as to get any help they need.
Here’s what we know right now.
Donating items
South Carolina United Methodists can help by donating water, non-perishable food, baby needs (formula, diapers, baby food, wipes), or UMCOR hygiene and cleaning kits (for what goes into a hygiene or cleaning kit, visit https://umcmission.org/relief-supplies)
Donations are being coordinated through the 12 districts throughout the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. They are as follows:
· Anderson: [email protected] or 864-226-6649
· Charleston: [email protected] or 843-744-0477
· Columbia: [email protected] or 803-726-6742
· Florence: [email protected] or 843-669-5992
· Greenville: [email protected] or 864-233-3611
· Greenwood: [email protected] or 864-223-2650
· Hartsville: [email protected] or 843-332-1631
· Marion: [email protected] or 843-423-1202
· Orangeburg: [email protected] or 803-534-7564
· Rock Hill: [email protected] or 803-328-0218
· Spartanburg: [email protected] or 864-583-5109
· Walterboro: [email protected] or 843-549-5441
Also, donations will be collected at the Bishop Installation service Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. at Mount Hebron UMC, West Columbia, to welcome Bishop Leonard Fairley.
Donations will also be collected at tri-district gatherings being held in October and November across South Carolina from 10 a.m. to noon:
· Oct. 12 at Central UMC, Florence (Florence, Hartsville, Marion)
· Oct. 19 at Bethesda UMC, Easley (Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg)
· Nov. 2 at Trinity UMC, Blythewood (Columbia, Greenwood, Rock Hill)
· Nov. 9 at Edisto Fork UMC, Orangeburg (Charles, Orangeburg, Walterboro)
Get trained to help with disaster response
Trainings are being organized now throughout the state so people can help on a South Carolina United Methodist Volunteer in Mission Early Response Team in the aftermath of the disaster.
Two free trainings will be held:
Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Trinity UMC, Blythewood (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for ERT renewals). The training comes with UMCOR certification and will help you safely serve on a UMCSC Early Response Team. Lunch will be provided. Register at https://www.umcsc.org/ertregistration/
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Aldersgate UMC, Greenville (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for ERT renewals). The training comes with UMCOR certification and will help you safely serve on a UMCSC Early Response Team. Lunch will be provided. Register at https://www.umcsc.org/ertregistration/
More trainings are being planned at other locations (details to be announced soon).
Volunteer this week with disaster response
Those who are trained as an ERT are invited to volunteer this Wednesday, Oct. 9, in the Greenwood area. To help, email [email protected] or call 803-726-3106.
Ways your church can help
Churches across South Carolina are doing what they can locally to meet needs, from feeding people to opening their doors so neighbors can take a shower, charge their devices, or cool down. (See the November Advocate for a full article.)
Connectional Ministries Director the Rev. Millie Nelson Smith offers a few suggestions for what your church can do:
· Offer pastoral care
· Provide hot meals and water
· Provide cool down places or charging stations
· Offer help with FEMA assistance (such as a computer or device to enable people to apply)
“Churches have been so responsive to the needs of the community around them, and not just to their members, but to everybody in the community,” Smith said. “That’s been very heartening and relieving, because it takes some of the pressure off knowing they’re being so responsive to immediate needs.”
To share how your church has helped after Hurricane Helene, email [email protected] and we’ll include this in the Advocate article about South Carolina’s response (photos welcome, too).
If you need help
If your church needs help, contact your district office (see list and contact information above).
If you need individual assistance:
· Contact your church
· Contact the conference’s disaster response hotline at 803-726-3106 or [email protected]
· Reach out to FEMA for assistance (see counties approved for federal assistance below)
· Contact Crisis Cleanup at 844-965-1386
FEMA can help
Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency can help individuals and churches, whether as direct assistance or reimbursement.
As of today, 24 counties in South Carolina have been approved by FEMA as eligible for individual assistance, and 28 counties for public assistance for governmental organizations and nonprofits, including churches.
FEMA individual assistance is for people in the counties of Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Catawba Indian Reservation, Cherokee, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York.
FEMA public assistance is for churches and publications in the counties of Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Barnwell, Calhoun, Catawba Indian Reservation, Cherokee, Chester, Colleton, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Hampton, Jasper, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, Williamsburg and York.
Churches that are feeding people or that have needed to purchase generators may be able to get reimbursed for these efforts through FEMA.
Learn more and apply at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4829/designated-areas
Donating funds
If you'd like to help financially, here are two options:
Donate to UMCOR: umcmission.org/advance-project/901670/
Donate to South Carolina United Methodist Disaster Response Ministries: bit.ly/UMCSCgive