UMCOR’s response to Hurricane Ida

In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that made landfall on the U.S. gulf coast on August 29, UMCOR remains in prayer and is providing relief for the many communities that were in its path.

In response to the extreme winds and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that made landfall on the U.S. gulf coast on August 29, UMCOR remains in prayer for the many states and communities that were in its path. 

UMCOR is in coordination with conference disaster response coordinators to assess the scale of damage and has awarded grants to the Louisiana and Mississippi conferences to support initial emergency relief efforts. 

As the situation evolves, early response teams will be invited to help with needs such as debris removal and the tarping of roofs.

Join the effort by making a gift to United States disaster response HERE.

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Six Years, No Solution: A 500-Gallon Tank Carries Hope to West Virginia’s Forgotten

McDowell County is one of the poorest in the U.S., and the communities of Anawalt, Leckie and Gary are some of the hardest hit by the current six-year water crisis. All have Methodist churches that are part of the Welch Charge.

To ease the burden of residents who have to purchase many gallons of drinking water weekly, the Welch Charge contacted the West Virginia Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, Jim McCune, for help. McCune’s United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) connection put him in touch with Global Ministries’ Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program. 

A WASH grant allowed them to obtain a 500-gallon “water buffalo.” The conference disaster response team arranged to fill the portable water buffalo from the Welch water system, the county seat of McDowell, and transport it to Gary, where residents have been supplied with refillable containers. Residents of all three towns can come to get water, and volunteers will also continue deliveries for those who need it. Meanwhile, residents, including church members, continue to advocate state and local officials for a permanent solution to their aging, compromised water infrastructure. Full Story