Missional Outreach Blog

Oklahoma Disaster Response Update June 3, 2013: Volunteers Needed!

OEM, FEMA Release (FIRST) Storm Damage Assessment Totals:

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have compiled the damage assessment data for storms that took place May 19-20, 2013. According to preliminary aerial assessments, the storm impacted 3,937 homes, businesses and non-residential buildings in Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties. Of those, 1,248 were destroyed, 452 sustained major damage, and 640 sustained minor damage.

Oklahoma VOAD:

Since the first tornado, Oklahoma United Methodists have joined the Oklahoma VOAD in opening four Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARC's) addressing the immediate needs of the survivors. The Oklahoma VOAD has formed at least six Task Forces to begin planning to address the Long Term Recovery needs of the survivors. Oklahoma United Methodist will be involved in all six of these Task Forces.

Oklahoma UM's:

Oklahoma UMC had at least four major metropolitan churches close to the storm tracks, but most of the churches sustained only minor damage. These churches then stepped up and began serving their neighbors in need and have not stopped since the first minutes after the first tornado. Besides the committed and close involvement of United Methodist in the Oklahoma VOAD's response (of which Richard Norman is the Chair), Oklahoma United Methodists have opened two Long Term Recovery Offices. The first UM LTR Office was opened at Moore FUMC in Moore, Oklahoma, and has already been addressing volunteer and project coordination for immediate needs. The second UM LTR office will be opening in the next couple of weeks at St. Paul's UMC in Shawnee, Oklahoma. As always, UM’s are not only responding to immediate needs, but we are gearing up for the Long Term.

We will not be able to do this all on our own and thus will be turning to our United Methodist servants from around the country to help our Oklahoma neighbors to recover to their “New Normal.”

Invitation to Other UM’s:

All those interested in serving in Oklahoma are instructed to go to our OKVIM Disaster Response website and pre-register yourself or your team. Please be patient as we continue to form our two Long Term Recovery offices and the processes involved in this recovery.

Pre-register with OKVIM Disaster Response

Bed Start Ministry Needs Immediate Resources to Help Families Affected by Fire: May 30, 2013

Metro District Churches and Missions Coordinators:

On Monday, May 20, 2013, 25 condominium homes at 12375 Abrams in Dallas were destroyed and a Dallas fireman lost his life in service.

Bed Start, a ministry of Custer Road UMC, was called into action by the Red Cross and Texas Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) to work WITH the families affected by this disaster to furnish their new homes.

Already overloaded with the growing needs in Collin and Dallas counties, Bed Start requires additional resources to meet God’s Plan to Love Thy Neighbor. Here is what they need:

Donations of gently used beds, furniture and kitchenware that would fit into an apartment. Small items can be placed in the Missions Closet at Custer Road UMC. Contact Doug Nickols to request a pick up of larger items.
Hands and Hearts are required to serve every Saturday morning from 8:00 am–12:00 pm to pick up, transport and deliver donated items to furnish, not just for these families NOW, but other children and families in their time of need.
Financial support to purchase linens and some beds are appreciated. Make checks out to Custer Road UMC, with Bed Start in the memo section and mail to CRUMC, 6601 Custer Road, Plano, TX 75023

Bed Start

The Bed Start ministry supports children and their families in need in and around the Plano and North Dallas area, including working with veterans and families coming out of homelessness, children and families recovering from crisis and low income families in poverty, or near-poverty levels. They provide beds, furniture and other household items, based on a 3-part ministry.

Generous donors share their love with donations of gently used items, picked up and delivered by Hands & Hearts that serve of their time and transportation at their expense, delivering a hand up to those in need at no cost, and expanding God’s Reign and Realm here on earth.

Texas VOAD

Texas VOAD is a humanitarian association of independent voluntary organizations who may be active in all phases of disaster. Its mission is to foster efficient, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation.

UMCOR is a member at both the national and local levels through the NTC Center for Missional Outreach.