Volunteers URGENTLY needed in South Austin Flood Zone

Holy Mess, from the Austin Disaster Relief Network:

S.O.S. Families in Great Need!  Volunteers Needed!  Special Message from Director:

Dear Friends,

I have been convicted to share this news with you.  You must know the truth.  My heart breaks as I share this with you (special note at the bottom of the email about donations needed).

In all of the disasters we have been deployed to (13 total) - this has been the worst spontaneous volunteer response we have ever seen for clean-up.  In West, Tx, 300+ families were affected by the explosion and over 3,000 spontaneous volunteers showed up by the first Saturday following the disaster.  In Moore, OK - it was the same.  At the Dove Springs neighborhood on Onion Creek, 1,100 families have been affected but I didn't see ANY visible large numbers of volunteers coming in to clean-up homes other than ADRN's team of 50+ volunteers (I was hoping for hundreds to show but I am very blessed for those who did show up!!).  The majority of ADRN's volunteers have been Chaplains, CISM, Call Center, Administrative and HAM volunteers which have been greatly needed for the field.  I praise God for these teams.  We will need 100+ CISM/Chaplains in the field per day. 

Yesterday, I kept thinking in the midst of the disaster site - where are all of the non-ADRN Volunteers that live in this great city, why are they not showing up?? I was expecting AUSTIN to show up in big numbers.  We are going to need 3,000-5,000 volunteers to clean up this huge mess from this historic flood.  

1 Sam. 2:8 "He (God) lifts the poor from the dust-- Yes, from a pile of ashes-- And treats them as princes sitting in the seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord's And he has set the world in order."

Prov. 19:17 "When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord..."

WHERE ARE THE VOLUNTEERS FOR CLEAN-UP??  I spoke with the President of the Homeowners Association for Dove Springs and he said the survivors are very discouraged with the lack of volunteerism. He said many elderly people are not able to help themselves and stuck in their homes.  Many have not been able to walk up the hill to the Dove Rec Center because of their condition (elderly, not in shape or medical issues) and most have lost their vehicles due to the flooding - some have no one to bring them food and are hungry!!  Kids are walking around with no shoes too. The survivors are begging for volunteers to come and help pull wet carpet, sheet rock, wet household items out of the house.  Many of the survivors do not have tools, box cutters, trash bags, etc... to clean up their homes with because they were swept away or destroyed.  One house was moved off of its foundation into the middle of the street and the owner tried to go in and she found hundreds of rats that had gathered within the home. 

I believe our greatest need is volunteers to help clean-up homes before the mold sets in. We have only days before this happens.  My prayer is that the GREATER AUSTIN CHURCH will show up in response to this disaster in Great numbers!!  Here is how you can help:

1. VOLUNTEER ASAP - click here to volunteer and register 

2. Post this great need on your Facebook page, Tweet it out to your friends and family

3. Please talk to your Senior Pastor and/or Church Leadership - organize a group ASAP

4. Help us tell the Media to get the word out - specifically about Volunteers for Clean-Up

5. Pray to the Lord of Harvest to send forth harvest workers into the harvest field

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR DONATION: Flat Shovels, Leather Gloves, Large Heavy Duty Trash Bags, N-95 Face Masks, Box Cutters, clean rags, trash cans, brooms, dust pans, and other items for house clean-up.  Please drop off these items at the Oak Meadows Baptist Church (6905 S. IH-35, Austin) or at our main tent location at the Crossroads Christian House of Prayer Church at the corner of William Cannon and Pleasant Valley Road (can't miss us).  Survivors are in great need of these items!!

DONATIONS NEEDED: Since the need is so great in the neighborhood, we have given out $25k in gift cards within the last 48 hours and 139 families have asked to be sponsored by a local church (we believe this number will climb to 300+ families).  Unfortunately, ADRN has RUN OUT of disaster funds to purchase gift cards and had to turn away 50-60 families on Saturday. We told them to come back on Sunday/Monday.  ADRN is asking you to make a donation today so we can purchase gift cards and meet the great need for IMMEDIATE financial assistance.  Most of the families (200+) we have talked too have lost 1-2 cars, all clothes, all furniture, all household items and we have seen children walking around with NO SHOES.  Please prayerfully consider making a donation by clicking here.

Thank you for helping us get the word out.  God bless!

Sincerely,

Daniel Geraci

Executive Director

Austin Disaster Relief Network