WNC Disaster Response

CBFNC Disaster Response Contact

Rev. Dr. Wanda Kidd
Helene disaster response director
DR@cbfnc.org
828-507-5723

 

How to Help the Recovery in Western NC

• Family Meals for the Mountains: Food will be scarce for many families in the mountains this year. Because of this, we are embarking on an ambitious goal of providing 100 meals for families of 4 to 5 this July. The schools and DSS in the area will select the families, and the families will pick up their totes containing the food for the week at their assigned sites. Ten churches have agreed to host the program throughout the mountains, stretching from Spruce Pine to Canton and Hendersonville. Each pick-up site has agreed to provide a “Pounding Box” for each of their 10 families. The box will contain essentials to use throughout the summer. In addition to the food, there will be backpacks for each of the children, which will include snacks, reading material and Bible school worksheets.
  • How You Can Help:
    • We would appreciate your prayers, because this is a huge undertaking that has never been done this way before.
    • Small teams who are able to travel to Mars Hill Baptist, Mars Hill are needed to help load boxes. Contact Wanda Kidd, Helene disaster response director at DR@cbfnc.org or 828-507-5723.
    • Contributions to help purchase items for the “Pounding Boxes.” Please send grocery gift cards or checks to Mars Hill Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Mars Hill, NC 28754.

Thanks to those who contributed to the Annual Gathering offering and a generous grant from CBF Global for helping to make this endeavor possible.

 

• Children’s Summer Camp in WNC: First Baptist, Weaverville and Mars Hill Baptist are collaborating to offer a five-week summer camp on the campus of North Buncombe Middle School that will run from Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The camp will provide a light breakfast, lunch, snacks, and a curriculum focused on courage, hope, and resilience. Along with the usual camp activities, students will also have time for tutoring to address the impact of the storm’s disruption on the school’s schedule. Food for the weekend will be provided for them to take home on Thursday. Western North Carolina CBF and CBFNC will help fund four college interns to oversee the Club Camp program. However, if some youth groups would like to help with this endeavor, we are accepting applications to serve one of five weeks beginning June 30 and concluding July 31. Depending on the week they come, the groups will be housed at FBC Weaverville or Mars Hill Baptist. The only charges for each group will be for food and any activities they plan for in the evenings. If you would like more information or if your group is interested in serving, please contact Wanda Kidd at dr@cbfnc.org.

 

DISASTER RELIEF GRANTS FOR CHURCHES

Complete the online Disaster Relief Grant application here.

 

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Disaster Response Update 12.03.24

In the months since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in western North Carolina, our fellowship has come together in many ways to address the needs in the communities directly affected by the devastation. As a reminder, CBFNC is not primarily a disaster response organization, and we are definitely not first responders. Our approach to disaster response is to connect with other partners and local churches to address long-term needs in areas affected by disasters. We began responding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene as reports of the horrific devastation started to emerge at the end of September.

To date, our collective efforts as a fellowship have included:

 

Care and Communication

First and foremost, CBFNC leaders began attempting to contact partner church pastors and leaders in the mountain communities to ensure their safety and assess response opportunities as soon as the storm passed. Through many text messages, phone calls and emails, we were able to connect with almost all of our churches in the affected areas. Our staff immediately began to facilitate communication with our larger fellowship and ministry planning. In the days and weeks that followed, we also convened several weekly Zoom gathering to bring pastors and church leaders across the western region together for prayer, emotional support and to listen to the needs in their specific communities.

 

Coordination of Response Opportunities

Response and recovery efforts in the communities that were significantly impacted will be a long-term development. As of Dec. 3, 2024, CBFNC’s response has included:

• Facilitating the deployment of three shower trailers
• Delivering over 1,000 disaster relief buckets with an additional 300+ stored for deployment when needed
• Purchasing and delivering 1,089 plastic storage totes
• Coordinating “Christmas for the Mountains” gift card collection
• Collecting disaster relief funds that have been distributed as grants to local churches for:
  • First Baptist, Mars Hill to purchase mattresses to house work teams
  • Canton First Baptist to purchase a trailer to transport food & supplies to people who can’t get out
• Connecting groups with volunteer opportunities through partners such as Baptists on Mission
• Facilitating zoom gatherings for pastors in the region to share experiences, offer support and help coordinate our response

 

Dedicated Leadership

As we have learned from previous disasters, the recovery will be long-term and the needs change rapidly. We are grateful that Wanda Kidd, former CBFNC collegiate engagement coordinator and long-time western NC leader, agreed to come on board as CBFNC’s temporary Helene disaster response director. In addition to serving as CBFNC’s primary contact for Helene disaster response, Wanda is working directly with churches in the affected communities and coordinating our response initiatives.

Contact Wanda at DR@cbfnc.org or 828-507-5723

CBFNC is incredibly grateful for the many ways in which our churches, pastors and partners have responded with the love and hope of Christ for our neighbors in western North Carolina. Please continue to pray for our beloved mountain communities and all those who are helping in the recovery. Follow CBFNC’s communications (emails, website and social media) to guide your prayers and inform future opportunities to be engaged.