Iowa Disaster Relief (Iowa DR) has been active in multiple disasters this year, but our relief efforts are just getting started. This week, Iowa DR is on the ground in Georgia, helping with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene—a devastating tropical cyclone that swept through six states, causing widespread destruction and over 200 fatalities across the Southeast. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams are leading relief and recovery efforts in response to the hurricane’s impact.
Gared Shaffer, Iowa Disaster Relief Coordinator, returned to Iowa on Friday, October 4th, after working with DR teams in Augusta, Georgia for most of the week. Jessica Aldredge, who recently began a two-week deployment as a DR Chaplain, is continuing to serve there.
Gared arrived in Georgia on Tuesday, October 1st. By Wednesday, he was working with a kitchen crew preparing and serving 8,000 meals a day. On Thursday, his team had the privilege of doing chainsaw work at the home of an International Mission Board (IMB) missionary. After a week of service, Gared made the drive back to Iowa on Friday.
During his trip to Georgia, Gared traveled with Gaylon Moss, the Missouri Disaster Relief Director, and had productive discussions about the continued collaboration between Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois DR teams. These partnerships have been invaluable in re-launching and expanding Iowa’s Disaster Relief efforts this year.
We are currently working on sending more volunteers—and possibly a team from one of our BCI churches—to Georgia and other affected areas. And we are incredibly grateful for the generous financial contributions of churches and other organizations that have helped us as we grow Iowa Disaster Relief.
Want to Get Involved?
There are three main ways you can get involved with Iowa Disaster Relief:
PRAY: Pray for the families impacted by Hurricane Helene. The devastation will affect many for years to come.
GIVE: Give to support Iowa Disaster Relief. Your donations will go toward helping those affected by disasters and will also aid in training and sending DR volunteers.
GO: Go to serve in disaster-affected areas as an Iowa DR volunteer after completing your DR101 training.
Interested in Volunteering? Get trained!
Getting trained is the first step to being part of our Iowa DR team! Our next Iowa DR training will be on Saturday, November 9th, hosted by Crossroads Community Church in Grimes. There will also be a special NAMB Certified DR Chaplain Training Track on November 8th & 9th. This is a great opportunity for your church members to get involved and registration is open now!
