Helping Victims of a Disaster

Six years ago, our church took a Disaster Relief team to help after Hurricane Katrina.  It was unbelievable!  We stayed in a Baptist church which had also received extensive damage and had carpet, pews and sheet rock ripped out of their sanctuary.  We set up our cots and stayed there.  The Disaster Relief team manned cooking, mud-out, chainsaw, clothes washing, shower and clothing units.  It was like a well-oiled machine once the units all got set up.  The Red Cross provides many of the units and then the Southern Baptists man the units.  I was very impressed with everything they offered the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  These units and teams go and serve victims of every natural disaster---not only in the U.S., but around the world.

Gayle White & I worked in the clothing unit.  There was a large tent without walls set up and piles and piles of clothing under the tent.  There were only about 4 people working that unit and we worked long hours just sorting the clothing and shoes into sizes so the people who needed them could readily find them.

I learned a lot from that trip.  And I was disgusted and angry after working so many long hours in the intense heat and finding things like this:

Coats of any kind.  If there's been a hurricane or tornado, that means it's been hot weather.

Formals.  Not needed.

Mismatched or glittery shoes.

Ties.  Enough said!

When people are suffering after a disaster, it's NOT the time to empty out your closet and send them things you've been waiting to get rid of.  Now I know there was a group of teenagers who helped other teenagers in Alabama after the tornadoes there and sent prom dresses so they could still enjoy their proms.  That's different.  But unless there's a drive for such a thing, assume it's not needed.

Let me tell you what is needed in all sizes:
JEANS
SHORTS
PACKAGES OF UNDERWEAR
PACKAGES OF SOCKS
WORK GLOVES
TSHIRTS
RAIN BOOTS OR MUD BOOTS

Gayle & I would dig through piles and piles of clothing and get so excited when we'd find a pile of tshirts.  One church sent all of the tshirts left over from camps, Disciple Nows, VBS, etc.  Those were a treasure!!  They were new shirts and came in all sizes.

Shoes came in a 6 ft x 6 ft x 6 ft box.  We had to dismantle the box to be able to get into it and when we did, shoes went everywhere!  If the shoes weren't tied or strapped together, it was next to impossible to find it's mate.  And there were so many unnecessary shoes.  People were looking for tennis shoes or steel-toed boots--something they could wade through the mud and then throw away later.  Mud boots or rain boots would have been priceless after a hurricane!  They came looking for work gloves and we never had any.

After the Katrina experience, I knew that if I was ever able to help I would send the above items.   These are the very basic items people will be looking for.  Please consider sending NEW items of clothing if you can!  But at the very least, send things that will really be useful.

By the way....the clothing that is brought in and not usable after a disaster only leaves a mess that town must clean up at some point down the line.