Volunteers Needed in our Backyard...

With the events of the past 10 days or so, weather and its wrath has dominated the news.   Whether it be wildfires on the West Coast , Harvey flooding in the Houston area, or pending hit through Florida and the Eastern coast by Irma, we are well aware of how our weather has made an impact on people all over the country.   

We (Indiana Disaster Relief Response Team) are still dealing with the aftermath of the flooding that took place in South Bend nearly one year ago. And that one barely broke into the news cycles anywhere in northern Indiana.   Getting people back into their homes is a priority and volunteer labor is what is needed.   

Maybe folks from Valparaiso 1st can put together a small team of volunteers to go to the South Bend area to help get one family back into a home that is safe and healthy in late October.   Putting ones self in the position of a homeowner who experienced severe flooding will help get us in the frame of mind to be responsive to answering the call for volunteers. 

Are you interested in being a volunteer?  Sometimes getting out and putting hands into the situation is a way to get in touch with the issues in a real way.   Let Mike Strayer or Bob Westfall know if you are interested in being part of the outreach.  UMCOR has helped with providing funding and the UMCOR dollars go further when we can use volunteer labor.   

UPDATES on your generosity- THANKS. 

UMCOR donations last Sunday (September 4) were about $3,700.
Donations for ManUp with Kokomo Urban Outreach was $1,500 which included some funds from the Mission budget and about $1000 from the August Mission Offering.