Natural disasters stretch NGO relief teams to the limit
The recent spate of natural disaster has stretched the nation’s third largest NGO disaster relief program to the limit; in the last several months, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has sent more than 3,300 volunteers to five natural disasters across the United States
The recent spate of natural disaster has stretched the nation’s third largest NGO disaster relief program to the limit.
In the last several months, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has sent more than 3,300 volunteers to five natural disasters across the United States including tornadoes that hit Tennessee and Hurricane Irene on the East Coast. In addition, more teams will be dispatched in the coming weeks when flooding in New Jersey subsides enough for volunteers to enter.
Last year, relief teams provided 275,311 meals for disaster victims, completed 362 chainsaw jobs, and worked a total of 34,771 volunteer days. In contrast, this year alone volunteers have already prepared 856,040 meals, done 4,368 chain saw jobs, and worked 42,016 volunteer days.
Last year, SBC volunteers in Tennessee assisted in Haiti, Rhode Island, and Nashville, with only a few travelling out of state.
2011 “kept us busy, but it was nothing like this year,” said David Acres, SBC’s Tennessee state disaster relief director.
Acres said this year’s disasters have pushed the organization to the limit and the need for volunteers has skyrocketed, but the additional need for help has sparked more volunteers and churches to get involved and SBC has added a fall training session to help bring the new teams up to speed.
The organization has fared well despite the increase in demand this year as volunteers pay their own travel expenses and local teams supply their own equipment allowing the organization to get by on a small budget of only $65,000.
