UPDATE - Tornado Damage - Ways You Can Respond

April 30, 2011

As we continue to organize our help in Alabama, I like the image that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Our goal as ALCBF is to select a few places that we can commit to help for at least a year. We hope to have those sites selected by mid-week, but this is a day by day process for us, so stay tuned.

• The first step of helping is to provide supplies for basic daily needs. Any supplies that you or your church would like to provide can be stored at Shades Crest Baptist Church (452 Park Ave, Hoover, 35226) or the offices of Passport (3421 Sierra Drive, Birmingham, 35216). See the list below.

• Woodland Forest, one of our ALCBF churches in Tuscaloosa, needs help with supplies for neighbors IMMEDIATELY. Who will answer that call? Their needs are listed below and you may deliver them directly to the church (6701 Hargrove Rd East, Tuscaloosa, 35405).

• We would like to organize churches and individuals who would volunteer for transporting these supplies regularly. We see creating a rotational system for this as long as the need lasts. Our hope would be that we will get several churches with folks willing to volunteer a week at a time. We will transport supplies to Tuscaloosa, West Birmingham, and Williams. If you or your church would be willing to work out transporting goods to these sites, contact Terri or me (Ronnie - ronnie@alabamacbf.org, 256-509-8342; Terri - terri@alabamacbf.org, 205.835.8117).

• We are working on assistance in North Alabama. That is a bit slow because of the power outages in Huntsville, though we know that our CBF churches in Huntsville are all in their community on the ground with help in various ways.

• As your church helps in any way, why not send Natalie a few pictures (natalie@alabamacbf.org) ? I think it would be encouraging to see all the ways we can join together to make a difference. We will post them on the ALCBF website.

• If your church would be willing to host groups that would like to work in the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa area to help, please let us know (see contact info below). Shades Crest has volunteered to house groups who come to our area, and we appreciate that so much.

• Our partner in this relief work, Volunteers of America, needs some long term strategic help with organization. This would be for someone who might have skills with people and organization and could be at one of our sites weekly. If that sounds like something you might be interested in, contact me (ronnie@alabamacbf.org or 256-509-8342), and I can put you in touch.

• We are working hard to craft those places where some of you can get directly to work helping on the ground. Be patient with us as we do our best to put a planned, healthy approach together.

• We are glad for you to send donations through your church or directly to us (2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 101, PMB 113, Birmingham, AL, 35244) for disaster relief. It is certainly fine to send them to National CBF as well. There are many other ways to donate, but we certainly will make sure all of the moneys reach those in need.

• You can stay informed directly to a few of our churches: Calvary Baptist in Tuscaloosa:  http://www.calvarytuscaloosa.org/tornadorelief/ and FBC Williams: https://www.facebook.com/fbcwilliams. As we learn of more direct links, we'll send them your way. 

We are hearing from people from all over our state and nation. It is moving and encouraging. It is good to know there is a whole wide world of communities organizing to help, and it gives me hope to know that we are just one such community. The power of our community is in Christ, and it is truly helpful to remember that today.

rb

Tuscaloosa primarily needs:

diapers (all sizes) 

individual packets of wipes

baby food and formula (canned)

personal hygiene supplies (shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, tooth paste, combs, brushes, etc)  

feminine products

non-perishable, packaged food - ready to eat

Peanut butter and jelly and bread

bottled water - bottles and gallons

soap  

towels

individual hand sanitizer packets & "regular-size" hand sanitizer in pump or squirt bottles
mens, women, children's underwear in all sizes
shoes like crocs and tennis shoes
boxes to pack food in for delivery to families
band aids, anti-septic spray, and other simple first aid items  

bug repellent    

Williams primarily needs:

Please see their website for up to the minute information about their supplies needs: http://fbcwilliams.org.

Birmingham Needs:

We also have a partnership with M-Power Ministries who were already serving many of the people in the Pratt City and Pleasant Grove areas before the tornadoes hit. They have been collecting supplies and have a drop off location. Learn more at their enews and subscribe to stay informed.  

Ronnie Brewer - ronnie@alabamacbf.org
256-509-8342
 
Terri Byrd - terri@alabamacbf.org
205.835.8117

Natalie Aho - natalie@alabamacbf.org