Disaster Relief

Mickey Caison and his team of South Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were exhausted when they pulled into First Baptist Church of Homestead, Fla., on the evening of Aug. 25, 1992, just one day after Hurricane Andrew barreled into South Florida with winds of around 141 miles per hour.

With the 2022 hurricane season predicted to be “above average,” Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and Recovery teams stand prepared and ready to offer “help, healing and hope” to those impacted by the storms.

When Florida Baptist disaster relief volunteer James Hartley arrived at the home of Marian Weeks in Leesville, La., three weeks after Hurricane Laura, he found a massive oak tree splitting her home in half.

Residents in Pensacola and South Alabama are calling Hurricane Sally “Ivan’s little sister,” in memory of the Sept. 16, 2004 storm that ravaged the Florida/Alabama coast.

Severe weather sweeping through Central Florida Aug. 18 spawned twin tornadoes with winds between 105-115 mph that left a 4.6-mile path of destruction through the DeLand community.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Laura striking the Gulf Coast, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief (LBDR) has requested Florida Baptist Disaster Relief (FLDR) support their ongoing response with two shower/laundry units and at least two clean-up recovery units. 

Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer Linda Gregory has been recognized and honored for her dedication to disaster relief ministry by Volunteer Florida as one of the top 30 volunteers in the state.

Pastor Matt Swain has taken mission trips to the Grand Bahamas for years, but his journeys found new meaning after the island suffered devastating damages from Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

A spiritual care hotline offering prayer and comfort to New York City area residents living in the epicenter of the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic went online Saturday, April 4, 2020.

Two months after Hurricane Dorian, devastation is still a present-day reality in Freeport, Grand Bahamas. The carnage is no longer front-page news, even though it may take the island years to fully recover. Florida Baptists will be there for them, though, every step of the way.