Foothills Presbytery Hurricane Helene Recovery

The Foothills Presbytery Disaster Preparedness and Response Commission (DPRC) has been responding to the needs across our Presbytery since Helene. To date, we have identified twelve churches that sustained damage to buildings. The DPRC is in the process of requesting grants from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) to support the recovery for these congregations. We have also identified nine additional churches that had downed trees on their properties, but no damage to buildings. In addition, we have ministers and church leaders who were impacted by Helene with severe damage to their homes.

 

As you can see, there was a lot of damage throughout our Presbytery. While there are many local and national organizations that are accepting donations and in need of volunteers. The DPRC would like to highlight the following ways our Presbytery can respond to the needs in our area.  


Following PDA's model, we have separated these responses into the categories of GIVE. ACT. PRAY.


Foothills Presbytery Helene Response Fund

Foothills Presbytery is accepting donations to support the relief effort in communities located in our area. This response includes assisting the congregations and communities of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties. Your generous gifts will bring hope and encouragement.

 

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) will be deploying teams to Western North Carolina, Western Georgia, and right here in our state to both Trinity and Foothills Presbyteries. They will need our support.

  

Here are ways your congregation can help:

 

Give directly to PDA helping with Hurricane Helene relief:  https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/hurricane-helene/ allows you to give online or checks can be made payable to the Presbyterian Church (USA) with DR000169 in the memo and mail to: Presbyterian Church (USA), PO Box 643700, Pittsburg, PA 15264-3700

Crisis Cleanup helps with the 4Cs of disaster recovery: Communication, Coordination, Collaboration, and Cooperation. There are two main ways to be involved with crisis cleanup:


  1. Be a Phone Volunteer from the comfort of your home. Once trained, you have the ability to serve for any disaster. If you are interested you can access a the phone volunteer training video at https://www.crisiscleanup.org/training. This is a great opportunity to practice your active listening and ministry of presence skills as you interact with survivors. 
  2. Hands On Volunteers are needed! Do you have a group interested in doing hands on clean-up like tree and debris removal? Watch the training video, register on crisis cleanup, and claim one of the unmet needs. The map image below shows sites that have requested assistance from Crisis Cleanup as of October 7, 2024. We know that more requests will be made in the coming days as more damage is uncovered and we see the devastation from Helene and Milton.



Camp Fellowship

Helene damage Volunteer Work Days on October 25 and 26. Come help clean up tree and debris removal, clean-up, and other tasks.



Cleanup Buckets and Hygiene Kits 

For a tangible way to help, Foothills Presbytery is collecting Cleanup Buckets and Hygiene Kits. These Gifts of the Heart  are always needed in areas following disasters. Assembled buckets or kits can be brought to the Eastminster Church, 2240 Woodruff Road, Simpsonville, SC 29681 or to Foothills Presbytery, located next door to Eastminster.

Clean Up Buckets & Hygene Kits



Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Be on the lookout for more information about PDA volunteers needed. PDA takes great care to avoid placing unnecessary stress on vulnerable areas or utilizing resources that are essential for those affected. There will be more information on organizing teams and how they can help in the coming days.

1st Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to pray continually. Following a disaster, our best response is first to seek God's presence on behalf of those in need. 

 

 

We come together embodying the grace and love of Jesus Christ, caring for our communities and God’s people.

 

Grace and peace,

 

Foothills Presbytery Disaster Preparedness and Response Commission

 

Sally Dyer, First Spartanburg

Edith Hill, Fourth

Helen Mohr, Fort Hill

Scott Speer, Trinity

Peggy Swann, Honorably Retired

Sandy Thrasher, Trinity

Scott Tompkins, First Greer

Rick Turner, First Greer

Pressley Cox, Foothills Staff