Text below is an excerpt from today's report. Click file above for the full report
Palo Duro Presbytery: Thank you for your prayers and your envelopes of donations. Thank you to PDA for a $7500.00 grant. Thank you to the Synod of the Sun for an initial grant of $15,000.00 (approved and in the mail). Thank you to the Palo Duro Presbytery for the many checks that add up. The need is immense.
FPC Borger is responding to their community, including housing vulnerability, with so many houses burned down in their community, including the devastated Fritch. Rev. Janelle Blair reports, similar to Canadian, that World Central Kitchen is responding. The new reality of life after the fire has begun to hit.
FPC Canadian reports the Smokehouse Creek Fire this morning is 87% contained. Meals are being served around the clock. They have spent $58,000 just on food and initial needs. Their session is meeting and planning the next steps of who and how to help with resources, including money, and giving it to the front line of despair immediately. The heartache of lost cattle, euthanizing, and dealing with carcasses in large numbers is hard to deal with, physically but especially emotionally. Cooler but windy weather is in the short-term forecast. The need continues to be great.
Prayer this morning: “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, our triune God, you have given us the boldness to enter into the holiest by your sacrifice. We ask for your presence, your help in small and large ways, and your tender mercies to each person engaged in this disaster, beast, child, firefighter, and each one reading this note. We pray for the families who have lost everything – their homes, their ability to earn a living, or their children’s toys. We need a Savior. Lift us up, as we are dependent upon you. Thank you, O God, for the thousands of gracious gifts and for those who are sacrificing to give them. Amen.”
Partners: If your organization is supporting or responding to local efforts to include activation with the Regional VOAD Chapter, please submit a situation report or update through the VOAD Response and Status Survey or email texasval@tdem.texas.gov
Continue to share the message of CASH – CONFIRM – CONNECT:
Cash: Financial support to established relief organizations is always the most immediate, useful, and versatile way to give. Financial assistance allows relief organizations to meet urgent needs quickly.
Confirm: If you prefer to donate items instead of providing cash donations, confirm there is a need before collecting or sending donated items.
Connect: Volunteers are a critical part of a well-coordinated and well-resourced humanitarian response, but potential volunteers should not self-deploy and should confirm that they are needed before traveling to impacted areas.
If your organization is interested in donating any of these items, please email texasval@tdem.texas.gov and we will direct you to the appropriate local stakeholder for delivery.
The Texas Panhandle VOAD will be hosting a Multi-Agency Resource Center tomorrow 3/8 from Noon to 6 at the Dome in Borger. In addition, Hutchinson County United Way will be hosting an Intake Day for those impacted by the fire at the First Southern Baptist Church in Fritch tomorrow 3/8 from Noon to 6. A transportation shuttle will be available to transport those without transportation between the First Southern Baptist Church in Fritch and the Stinnett Community Center to the Dome.
