2018 Hurricane Harvey

FORT MEYERS, Fla. (BP) -- Southern Baptist Disaster Relief continues to deploy volunteers to help respond to immediate needs in Florida and the Caribbean left by Hurricane Irma while still maintaining focus on enormous needs from Hurricane Harvey in Houston, south Texas and Louisiana. In Florida, seven Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) feeding units from several states in the Southeast have arrived as well as some from the Northeast. Many are set to begin feeding today (Friday, Sept. 15). On Thursday, a crew from the Baptist General Association of Virginia prepared 1,200 meals in Palm Coast.

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Three small churches damaged in Hurricane Harvey's unprecedented Texas deluge are jointly suing a U.S. government agency for access to public recovery funds. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) religiously discriminates against churches by preventing them from seeking disaster recovery funding available to other nonprofits, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty alleges in the suit filed Sept. 5 in Houston federal court.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, though causing massive destruction and sorrow, Gerald Harris writes, can teach crucial life lessons about matters of faith.

FLORIDA (BP) -- Mark MacDonald walked around his Jacksonville home Monday morning (Sept. 11) assessing the damage done by Hurricane Irma. "Our roof is leaking and a few trees are down," MacDonald said. "I was curious as to how our neighbors were doing …. Their garden was completely torn to shreds. It's not ideal, but it really could have been worse for us. We're all thankful to God for that." Monday, Sept. 11, MacDonald will be working on his own home and aiding his ...

Reflecting on his experiences with Hurricane Katrina, Joe McKeever offers encouragement and counsel to pastors of churches impacted by Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Hurricane Irma has caused extensive damage today as it moved up through Florida. North American Mission Board has issued Send Relief Bulletins both today (Sept. 10) and yesterday (Saturday, Sept. 9). Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is forging plans for units to move into the disaster zones as soon as conditions permit.

HOUSTON (BP) -- Paul Matlock, 73, was sitting in his yard, staring into the distance, overwhelmed, when Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers arrived. Floodwater from Hurricane Harvey had climbed more than six feet inside his home; it was chest high when he managed to escape with his wife Diana, 63, and their toy fox terrier. They had flooded twice before but never this badly. They knew when they left that they would probably lose almost everything they owned. And the sight when they returned confirmed it.

With Hurricane Harvey's devastation still vivid and deep -- and Hurricane Irma looming -- Diana Davis underscores the importance of aiding storm survivors in Jesus' name.

LATHAM SPRINGS, Texas (BP) -- When Hurricane Harvey forced two residential treatment facilities for adolescents and young adults to flee the Houston area, a Baptist camp became their temporary home. Pam Reed, executive director of nonprofit Devereux Texas, called Latham Springs Camp and Conference Center, located 25 miles northwest of Waco, since, after all, it had twice provided shelter during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- The second major hurricane threatening the U.S. within two weeks has Southern Baptists and their partners actively preparing to respond to Hurricane Irma, even as Harvey recovery efforts hunker down for the long haul. With flood waters still standing in some parts of Texas, and Category 5 Irma churning, President Trump has declared states of emergency in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.