Interested in helping hurricane survivors? Purchase some gift cards!

Barry Whitworth, Baptist Resource Network executive director, and his wife Beth share ways to assist the survivors of Hurricane Helene, including the purchase of specifically designated gift cards.

November 14, 2024
Barry Whitworth

With Beth Whitworth

BARRY WHITWORTH: Hello, BRN Family. It’s good to be with you today.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity of speaking at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina annual meeting, where I expressed our collective churches’ prayers and concern for the victims of Hurricane Helene.

I pledged our support to pray, give, and go to make a difference for those who have been affected by this geological event. Many of you have expressed your desire to do just that, so I wanted to share some ways you can make a difference.

BETH WHITWORTH: But since Barry’s voice is going after our meeting today, I want to be able to do that for you.

First, our Disaster Relief (DR) Director, Kenton Hunt, continues to organize teams to go on weeklong deployments to help with mud-out, chainsaw work, and community clean-up. Those who are interested can reach out to him at kentonh@brnunited.org to learn more about the deployment requirements, including background checks and training.

Secondly, North Carolina Baptists also have set up channels for assistance, including what they call Essential Rapid Repairs (or ERR, for sure) teams to help put people back into their homes. Those interested in signing up for these teams can do so at this link.

Thirdly, we have discovered that the best way financially to help individuals and families is to collect funds to purchase, specifically, Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart gift cards.* That way, families can purchase exactly what they need, and we don’t waste funds on unnecessary supplies. If you are interested in supporting this relief effort, please visit online at www.brnunited.org/helene. Barry and I are already delivering some of these gift cards personally next week as we deploy with the DR. 100% of your designated gifts will be used in Helene disaster relief efforts.

Please keep praying for these North Carolina residents, who are facing a holiday season without their homes. Many are still living in tents, and we all know winter is coming in the mountains. Let’s band together to show the love of Christ in our prayers and actions. As always, thanks for listening in and may God bless you.

*Editor’s Note: Please consider alerting your bank if you plan to purchase multiple gift cards. That way, you are less likely to be flagged as fraudulent.

Barry Whitworth

Barry has been in ministry for over 30 years, serving as a mission pastor, associate pastor, church planter, pastor, interim pastor, transitional pastor and planter, church planting strategist, lead church planting catalyst, church planting director, and now executive director. Before his calling as Executive Director of the Baptist Resource Network in February 2017, he was a church planting missionary and served the Multiplying Churches Team Leader for the BRN.