Convoy Of Hope Responds To Hurricane Dorian
Convoy Of Hope is currently responding to Hurricane Dorian. To follow their full response or to donate, please click here.
(from convoyofhope.org)
October 7, 2019 | 8:40 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Convoy of Hope’s response to Hurricane Dorian continues to grow. Dozens of containers filled with food, water, tarps, camping supplies, and generators have been sent directly to community partners and more are waiting in ports to be delivered. The majority of these containers are going to hard-hit areas where Convoy of Hope teams and volunteers assist in unloading, bagging, and distributing the products.
In addition to our efforts on Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands, Convoy of Hope is providing relief to evacuees in shelters and homes in the capital of Nassau. Two containers are scheduled to arrive in Nassau, which will provide evacuees with basic food and hygiene supplies.
Convoy of Hope is also providing continued support from our warehouse in Florida. By having a constant flow of accessible product in close proximity, Convoy of Hope is maximizing every load we send to the Bahamas.
Life in these devastated communities is slowly being put back together, and Convoy of Hope is making long-term plans for the recovery process. Additional staff from Convoy of Hope’s International Program were on the ground this week, developing a plan for extended help.
To date, Convoy has provided more than $770,000 worth of relief supplies to more than 20,000 people affected by Hurricane Dorian. Those we serve send their heartfelt thanks to you, our dedicated supporters.
September 25, 2019 | 9:20 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Convoy of Hope’s response to Hurricane Dorian is in full swing. Across the Bahamas, Convoy of Hope’s network of local partners continues to grow. We’re equipping each partner with the food, water, and relief supplies they need to best serve their communities.
To date, Convoy of Hope is working with 20 community hubs for distribution. We’ve already shipped pallets and whole containers of goods to the islands, and more are on the way. In many communities, stores and vital infrastructure were completely destroyed. Outside help remains the only meaningful way residents can find relief.
Convoy of Hope partners in Florida are also providing vital resources to many Bahamians who evacuated to the United States.
Convoy of Hope’s response is poised to grow as the communities affected continue to recover. So far, Convoy of Hope has distributed more than 400,000 pounds of disaster relief supplies, including solar lanterns and water filters, to more than 16,000 individuals.
September 19, 2019 | 6:00 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO It’s been weeks since Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, but Convoy of Hope’s teams are still on the ground meeting needs. We’ve been able to serve thousands of people — but our work isn’t done yet.
Teams are still distributing product and more is en route. Relief items will assist evacuees at shelters and in host homes.
Stateside, Convoy of Hope has secured a warehouse in Florida. Staff members are working with volunteers to oversee operations. Distributions will soon take place to help people who have evacuated their homes in the Bahamas.
Convoy of Hope is committed to helping people for the long haul. Hal Donaldson says, “We want to respond to disasters and help people as fast as we can, as much as we can, for as long as we can.”
September 17, 2019 | 10:45 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Disaster Services team members created 10 mixed-product pallets and distributed them to churches in Freeport yesterday. These churches will now serve as distribution centers for their communities. Additionally, the team created family food kits and distributed them to families affected by flooding.
In Nassau, Convoy of Hope continues to interface with organizations and church partners in the area who are servicing shelters. An airplane with supplies for the shelters is scheduled to arrive today and a container of supplies is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
September 15, 2019 | 8:30 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Yesterday, the team worked to clear 18 pallets of product and delivered it to the warehouse in the Bahamas. The product will be delivered to distribution centers today.
In Nassau, the ability to wash clothing has been expressed as a high need. Convoy of Hope has been able to deliver laundry detergent and buckets to a shelter, allowing evacuees from Abaco to wash their clothing by hand.
September 14, 2019 | 9:00 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Loads of relief supplies continue arriving in the Bahamas. Convoy of Hope team members are now more permanently on the ground and will help facilitate logistics for incoming loads in addition to coordinating with partners on the ground to serve communities in need.
Additional product should arrive in Nassau next week. This will be the first container into Nassau, and it will help Convoy of Hope serve more than 2,000 evacuees who are currently housed in shelters.
September 12, 2019 | 10 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Hurricane Dorian’s unpredictable, two-week-long assault in the Atlantic Ocean has left the Bahamas in ruins. Houses are now piles of timber. Low-lying areas are still flooded. Loved ones are still missing.
Here’s what Convoy of Hope has done so far:
– Convoy of Hope has delivered 23 plane loads carrying clean water, tarps, ready-to-eat food items, Crisis Care Kits, diapers, wipes, formula, and even two generators.
– We have distributed more than 90,000 meals, 150 LuminAID solar lanterns, and 500 water filters to date.
– We’ve served more than 2,000 families and 7,500 individuals.
– We’ve assisted citizens of Freeport, Treasure Cay, Marsh Harbour, and Moore’s Island.
In the United States, we’ve delivered five truckloads of resources to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The emergency manager of Ocracoke Island secured warehouse space to store the resources for distribution. Local officials and churches will coordinate distribution moving forward, as our team has departed North Carolina.
September 9, 2019 | 1:00 P.M.
ABACO, BAHAMAS
UPDATE FROM THE FIELD
Convoy of Hope Reporter Jess Heugel sent this update from the ground.
The situation in the Abaco Islands is dire. Under the relentless sun, sweat runs down the faces of survivors who are still on the ground. Many people have left, but some cannot afford to leave. Hundreds of people gather next to the runway at the barely-functioning airport. There is no shelter, and they’ve been there for days baking in the sun, hoping to take any open seat on any airplane.
Tension is in the air, wafting with the smell of those who have died and are yet to be found. Trees, cars, and entire buildings have been wrenched from the ground and scattered by the Hurricane Dorian, which hovered over the island for days. Destruction stretches out in all directions.
But help is on the way.
On Saturday, Convoy of Hope landed several planes loaded to maximum capacity with food, water, tarps, medicine, and other relief supplies. Immediately, our planes are surrounded by volunteers who want to help unload. These are local volunteers, too; people who no longer have homes and are dealing with unimaginable loss. But they have decided to use what strength they have left to help.
Convoy of Hope staff and volunteers were able to connect with a truck that still had fuel and could transport supplies to a community center a few miles away. Survivors constantly come and go from this hub. Some need food, others need water. One man with a bloody bandage wrapped around his foot shoulders a case of water and slowly begins his way back home.
International assistance continues to arrive, but the people of the Bahamas fear they’ll soon be forgotten by the world. Convoy of Hope and our partners are planning a long-term response to keep that from happening. For the months to come, we will continue loading relief supplies onto boats and airplanes. Thank you for standing with us and the people of the Bahamas in this catastrophic time.
September 8, 2019 | 4:30 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Convoy of Hope delivered eight more plane loads of relief supplies to Freeport and Treasure Cay yesterday. We also delivered product by boat to Moore’s Island. This is significant because relief supplies had not been distributed there yet.
Further evacuations are being planned for Abaco while its infrastructure is being rebuilt, so our teams are exploring ways to assist the thousands of people that will now be sheltered in Nassau.
As needs in the Bahamas shift almost daily, Convoy of Hope will continue resourcing those living there.
September 7, 2019 | 10:45 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Convoy of Hope delivered seven plane loads of relief supplies to Freeport and Treasure Cay yesterday afternoon. In total, the planes carried approximately 3,000 pounds of clean water, tarps, ready-to-eat food items, Crisis Care Kits, diapers, wipes, formula, and two generators.
Approximately 1,500 meals were provided to evacuees from Abaco that are now being housed in temporary shelters in Nassau.
Eight planes are scheduled to depart for Treasure Cay and Freeport today carrying the same urgent relief supplies. Water filtration units and temporary shelters, along with the delivery of food, hygiene items, and other immediate needs, will continue being delivered regularly.
September 7, 2019 | 8:45 A.M.
FREEPORT, BAHAMAS
UPDATE FROM THE FIELD
Convoy of Hope Reporter Jess Heugel sent this update from the ground.
Convoy flew four planes into Freeport yesterday. Hundreds of families were lined up to receive product from the now-established centralized hub.
The island was subject to more than a day of the most violent winds and rain Dorian unleashed as it pounded the Bahamas last week.
One resident, Cindy, waited in line for water, which is a desperate need on the island. She shared that, as the storm was passing through, she tried to protect her children from the seriousness of their situation. Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke, remembering the terror of those hours.
Now though, with water in hand and comforted by the knowledge that she can return for more each day, Cindy expressed her gratitude and left a little more hopeful than when she’d arrived.
September 6, 2019 | 2:15 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO
SURVIVOR STORY
Travis lives on the island of Abaco in Marsh Harbour — one of the most devastated areas of the Bahamas. He was in his home when Hurricane Dorian hit and experienced the full effects of the storm. Travis watched as waters slowly began to rise and felt the winds — 185 mph in some parts of the country — battering his house.
Countless Bahamian residents, including Travis, were stranded in their homes for days. Travis survived on bottled water and food he had stored prior to the storm.
Travis eventually swam through the waters and made it to his car, which was parked on top of a hill and, incredibly, unaffected by the storm. He slept in his vehicle for a few days and sought meager supplies left on the shelves at a local grocery store.
A former employer of his was able to get in touch with Travis and offer temporary shelter. He is currently working with relatives to find more permanent housing. We are thankful Travis survived the storm and that he has support in the days ahead.
Travis is just one of thousands who have been displaced because of Hurricane Dorian. Convoy of Hope is on the ground, actively meeting the needs of people who have suffered unimaginable loss. With your help, we can continue providing hope in every storm.
September 6, 2019 | 12 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO
U.S. RESPONSE
Hurricane Dorian officially made landfall in the U.S. Friday morning at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It is still a Category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Thankfully, the storm has already cleared the U.S. and is on its way out to sea. Future forecasts have it impacting areas of the northeastern U.S. before hitting Atlantic Canada this weekend as a possible Category 1 storm.
Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services team was pre-positioned in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is now making their way to New Bern, North Carolina. Once there, they will stage at a local church parking lot before making their way by ferry to the affected areas in the Outer Bank. In the coming days, we will be distributing food, water, hygiene items, baby supplies and cleaning supplies to the communities affected by Dorian.
BAHAMAS RESPONSE
The full extent of Dorian’s destruction is being realized. The death toll stands at 20, but will most surely rise. Some estimates claim that 45% or all structures on Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands were damaged or destroyed after the hurricane struck as a Category 5 storm.
A Convoy of Hope team is flying into Freeport this morning. This will be the first time we’ve been able to bring relief to this heavily affected area. They will be distributing food, water, hygiene kits, feminine products, and tarps. Multiple containers are en route to the islands with water, food, tarps and tents, water filters, and solar lights.
September 5, 2019 | 9:15 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Hurricane Dorian, still a Category 2 hurricane, continues its march of destruction, causing power outages, flooded roads, and even reported tornadoes in North and South Carolina. The East Coast will finally feel some relief when the storm starts to veer back into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, but there’s still a long 24-hours to wait until that happens.
In the Bahamas, the situation is grim. Thirty people have been confirmed dead, but the prime minister warns that number will soar. Hundreds remain missing. For more than 60,000 survivors, the prospect of food and water shortages are very real, according to the World Food Programme.
A Convoy of Hope Disaster Services team is still on the ground in the Bahamas. They have managed to coordinate flights that will deliver relief goods into the affected islands. Flights are planned to begin tomorrow, and there will be multiple flights in each day. These flights will depart from the east coast of Florida and make deliveries across the affected regions of the Bahamas. We are also actively pursuing the option of sending containers of relief supplies via ship.
September 5, 2019 | 11:15 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO The eye of Hurricane Dorian is perilously close to the South Carolina coast. After regaining major-hurricane status as a Category 3 storm, it’s 115-mph winds have lashed the southeastern U.S. since Tuesday evening. Dozens of streets are closed due to flooding and more than 200,000 customers have lost electricity, according to local sources. The storm still has the potential to make landfall anywhere along the North and South Carolina coasts.
In the Bahamas, the full extent of Dorian’s destruction is being realized. The death toll stands at 20, but will most surely rise. Some estimates claim that 45% or all structures on Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands were damaged or destroyed after the hurricane struck as a Category 5 storm.
Our Convoy of Hope International Disaster Services team have already begun training locals on water filter usage. Team members also attended a government meeting to see what the system at-large is doing and how Convoy of Hope best fits into that plan. Access is very limited to Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands at this point. These hardest-hit areas are also the most difficult to reach. As we respond, we’re also exploring options of how to transport supplies and relief to these communities.
Our U.S. Disaster Services team has moved to North Carolina with two truckloads of supplies. As the possibility of a second landfall becomes more likely, they are ready to respond wherever Dorian may strike.
September 4, 2019 | 8:30 P.M.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – UPDATE FROM THE FIELD
Convoy of Hope Reporter Jess Heugel sent this update from the ground.
Throughout many areas of the Bahamas, survivors of Hurricane Dorian are going to sleep under the stars. The mosquitoes are out, and the heat and humidity of the day still lingers in the air. Tens of thousands are huddled in roofless shelters, and others are camped in the ruins of their homes. Tomorrow, they will wake up and wonder if help is on the way.
Convoy of Hope, alongside numerous other agencies and governmental organizations, is working together to answer their question: “Have we been forgotten?”
Amidst spotty communication and transportation difficulties, Convoy of Hope is implementing a plan. Coordinating a full-scale response by land, sea, and air takes careful planning. We are sending water, food, tarps and tents, water filters, and solar lights, but access to the hardest hit places remains elusive to nearly every organization on the ground.
Convoy of Hope’s Director of International Disaster Services, Ryan Grabill, spent his day in intense conversation with pilots, pastors, governmental leaders, and survivors, to determine the most pressing needs and how to meet them together.
September 4, 2019 | 11 A.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Hurricane Dorian’s unpredictable path is starting to become clear as it tracks just off the Florida coastline. From where it currently sits, it’s expected to continue up the East Coast and affect residents of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and southeast Virginia between now and Friday. It has remained a Category 2 storm that, despite being much smaller than when it struck the Bahamas earlier this week, will bring dangerous storm surge flooding, high winds, and several inches of rain.
A Convoy of Hope International Disaster Services team arrived in Nassau yesterday afternoon with solar lanterns and water filters for immediate distribution. Our team will continue to work with partners to assess needs and find ways to respond accordingly.
Another Disaster Services team is pre-positioned in Tennessee with two truckloads of supplies. This location will allow us to respond more quickly in the event the hurricane affects communities along the southeastern coast.
September 3, 2019 | 12:30 P.M.
SPRINGFIELD, MO Hurricane Dorian’s sheer force crumpled cars, smashed homes, and knocked down trees all over the Bahamas. Floodwaters rose so quickly that it trapped many residents on top of their houses. Members of Convoy of Hope’s International Disaster Services team deployed to the islands early this morning, taking solar lanterns and water filters for immediate distribution. The team will work with partners, based in Nassau, to assess needs and respond accordingly.
Dorian continues to lose momentum as it approaches the southeastern United States. While the storm is much weaker than it was when it hit the Bahamas this weekend, it still brings dangerous amounts of rain and storm surge. Current forecasts predict the storm will remain a Category 2 hurricane as it traverses the East Coast, with sustained winds of 110 mph.
Another Disaster Services team is en route to Nashville, Tennessee, with two truckloads of supplies. This team is strategically positioning themselves to be able to respond more quickly in the event the hurricane affects communities along the southeastern coast of the United States.
For more updates on Convoy of Hope’s response to Hurricane Dorian, please click here.
As a faith-based, international, humanitarian-relief organization strategically based in Springfield, Missouri — the crossroads of America — the goal of Convoy Of Hope is to bring help and hope to those who are impoverished, hungry and hurting. See the video on our partnership from our 2017 National Conference below.
[To share this video from YouTube, here is the link: https://youtu.be/UTJ_85lEqGU]
Vineyard USA Official Relief Partner: Convoy Of Hope
Our Vineyard USA Official National Relief partner, Convoy Of Hope, is a first-responder to disasters at every turn. Please join us in prayer and support of their efforts, as they serve those in need.
To see how they are at work during Hurricane Dorian, click here.
How You & Your Church Can Make A Difference
How can you and your church get involved with Convoy Of Hope?
GIVE: Support Convoy via their website.
FOLLOW: Get Convoy’s updates on their Facebook page.
PRAY: Pray for all those impacted by a natural disaster as it happens, and for the vulnerable to get to safety.
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About Convoy Of Hope
Vineyard USA has an official partnership with CONVOY OF HOPE to get aid to areas around the United States when disaster strikes.
From their website:
As a faith-based, international, humanitarian-relief organization strategically based in Springfield, Missouri — the crossroads of America — our goal is to bring help and hope to those who are impoverished, hungry and hurting.
We do this by:
Engaging
Each year — in dozens of communities throughout the nation — guests of honor receive free groceries, health and dental screenings, haircuts, family portraits, hot meals, job-placement assistance and much more at our signature events.
Caring
We partner, resource and empower rural churches through training, mentoring and coaching so they can enhance their presence in their communities. The strategy works best when church leaders partner with community leaders and stakeholders.
Nourishing
Nearly 150,000 children in 10 nations are being fed nutritious meals by us. The food opens doors for education, clean water, a sense of hope and much more. Currently, we are feeding children in the Philippines, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala, South Africa and Tanzania.
Growing
Impoverished farmers and families are equipped with the skills, tools and seeds to produce life-sustaining crops through the agricultural work we conduct throughout the world. Each year, tens of thousands of meals are harvested for our children’s feeding work and income is generated for farmers.
Responding
Consistently among the first to respond to disasters throughout the world. We are highly regarded for our scalable distribution model, Disaster Response teams, six international warehouses and Mobile Command Center.
Partnering
We empower like-minded organizations, who are doing good work among the poor and suffering in their communities. This is accomplished by providing such friends with food, water, supplies and much more.
If you or your church would like to give to Convoy of Hope, click here.
