Texas Baptists response to Hurricane Harvey

Updated message posted on August 28, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.

Hurricane Harvey’s impact on the Gulf Coast has been catastrophic, and the storm is likely to cause additional damage for days to come. Some 13 million Texans are currently under a flood watch or warning.

At this time, we are supporting Texas Baptist Men in their disaster relief efforts. TBM units are deployed to several areas across the Gulf Coast and are providing meals as well as shower and laundry services. More than 7,000 trained volunteers are on active alert and ready to respond.

Many of our Texas Baptists churches are actively involved in relief and recovery efforts in their own communities. Others have reached out to us to ask how they can help. While the situation changes rapidly, here are a few things you can do to help right now:

· Pray for the churches and communities affected, first responders and volunteers as they help those in need, and TBM as they provide disaster relief

· Give to TBM to enable more disaster relief

· Continue to participate in your local relief and recovery efforts

· Stay tuned to Texas Baptists for future opportunities

Original message posted on August 25, 2017 at 9:16 p.m.

CORPUS CHRISTI–Texas Baptists are preparing response to Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane expected to make landfall along the gulf coast of Texas on Fri., Aug. 25. Texas has been declared a “state of disaster” by Gov. Greg Abbott and 30 jurisdictions have been placed under voluntary or mandatory evacuation.

“I urge our Texas Baptists family to reach out to churches in these areas and offer support. If you know of folks heading away from the coast, you may consider making your facilities available to them,” said Executive Director David Hardage in a statement sent to Texas Baptists on Friday morning.

“I also ask that you join us in praying for the safety and wellbeing of citizens and first responders in the path of this rapidly intensifying storm, and for our Texas Baptist Men as they deploy to provide disaster relief assistance,” Hardage continued.

Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief response units are prepared to deploy and bring help, hope and healing to those facing one of the largest hurricanes to hit the Texas Coast. This will be TBM’s largest Texas response in the 50 year history of TBM.

According to a Facebook post  at 6:50 p.m. on Aug. 25, TBM was contacted by the American Red Cross to provide a feeding unit in the Victoria and Houston areas. They will also be supporting a shelter in Uvalde with a feeding unit and a shower unit for evacuees in Dallas.

Earlier in the week, TBM units were in the coastal area helping the elderly board up their homes as evacuations were ordered on Wednesday in preparation of hurricane force winds and life-threatening rainfall are expected.

Click here to donate to TBM Disaster Relief efforts.