Sub-Total: $0.00
2024-2023
Helene – 2024
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene swept across the southeast, causing catastrophic damage in North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. Impact Disaster Response served with the state feeding task force to feed displaced people in the region. As the response shifted to recovery, we established a site in Damascus, housing teams for cleanup, chainsaw, work, and rebuild. That recovery response is expected to continue through mid-2025.
Hawaii – 2023
When wildfires broke out in Maui, Impact Disaster Response connected directly to Ma Ke Alo o, a BGAV church community in Hawaii to funnel support through their local efforts. One element to that response was that we did not send volunteers, and the local community was grateful that we did not. With so many trying to go there to serve, our willingness to NOT go meant that they were able to do the kind of work they needed to do and maintain the trust of their local community. Impact Disaster Response sent over $50,000 to support local ministry in that community.
New England 2022 and 2023
Vermont and Connecticut
New England is not typically a flood-prone area but there were two flooding events in 2022 and 2023, and Impact Disaster Response sent teams to support both responses. Teams completed mudout work for several weeks during each response and sent other financial support to partners in that area.
2022
Ian in Florida Fall 2022
When Hurricane Ian struck Florida in 2022, it was initially tracking through Virginia. At the request of Virginia Department of Emergency Management, we did not deploy to the south because we expected the storm to hit here. When it did not, we were able to connect with Grace Church in Fort Myers through Fresh Expressions. We set up a site there to house and deploy teams to clean and repair homes in Pondella. Impact Disaster Response trained volunteers from Grace church and other Florida churches, along with sending teams from Virginia regularly. That response led to affected homes being restored and a new Dinner Church forming in that community out of the response.
Buchanan County July 2022
When a storm struck Buchanan county in July 2022, Impact Disaster Response was just completing a nine-month recovery response after flooding the previous year. Because of our relationships locally and ongoing work there, we were able to start up a feeding response immediately and provide teams and support for a rebuild operation that included highly active local volunteers and other volunteers from across the state. This response led to the BGAV being named a United Way Unsung Hero for 2023.
2021
Grundy Fall 2021
When sudden flash flooding struck in Buchanan county in 2021, Impact Disaster Response, in partnership with Grundy Baptist Church and a number of other local churches, began a response that would continue through several months and a second storm the following summer. The response began with feeding – providing 400 meals a day for residents in the community – and continued through mudout and rebuild through the following summer. Teams operated under strict COVID protocols for most of that response, ensuring the safety of volunteers and homeowners as they served.
New Jersey Fall 2021
While actively responding in Grundy, Impact Disaster Response was also called to New Jersey for flooding in Fall of 2021. Most teams from other states were responding to the gulf coast, so our teams were able to respond there, supporting local volunteers who were overwhelmed with the flooding in several New Jersey neighborhoods. Teams served for several weeks providing mudout support locally.
Vaccination Clinic Feeding – 2021
When the first COVID vaccines became available, Impact Disaster Response was asked to support the largest vaccination site in Central Virginia, at the Richmond Raceway. For five months, Impact Disaster Response prepared hot meals for volunteers serving the vaccination clinic as thousands of people were vaccinated each day.
2020
Richlands – February 2020
When storms struck the community of Richlands in Southwest Virginia, the local emergency manager contacted BGAV directly asking for assistance with the response. Volunteers from across the state served until the COVID pandemic required the site to be shut down. Local disaster response volunteers in the community continued the response for the following months, led by several BGAV churches.
Florence – September 2018
When Hurricane Florence struck eastern North Carolina in 2018, Impact Disaster response entered a year-long partnership with North Carolina Baptists to run their response site in Pollocksville. Teams continued through recovery and rebuild, culminating with Impact Mission camps in summer of 2019. Impact Disaster Response volunteers served nearly every week between September 2018 and August 2019.
