PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (ABP) — Cooperative Baptist Fellowship relief efforts will be concentrated in two rural, inland Florida counties where rural and migrant populations were particularly hard hit by Hurricane Charley.
“It looks like our focus will be on Hardee and DeSoto counties,” CBF of Georgia Missions Coordinator Jimmy Lewis said from Punta Gorda, Fla., where Charley came ashore Aug. 13. “The people who live in trailers, there's little left of where they live.”
According to a report in the Tampa Tribune, Hardee County's public safety director estimated 75 percent of structures in the county are damaged or destroyed.
The key staging points for the Fellowship's relief efforts continue to be First Baptist Church in Fort Myers, South Venice Baptist Church in Venice, and College Park Baptist Church in Orlando. David Burgess, pastor of South Venice Baptist, is the main contact for all relief efforts. So far, the Fellowship has contributed $10,000 toward the recovery effort.
Among the items most needed are building materials; plywood and oriented strand board; tarps and commercial-grade plastic; 16-penny, 8-penny and roofing nails; diapers, pre-mixed baby formula and baby food; sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade; personal-care boxes containing toothpaste, a toothbrush, razors, shaving cream, soap, a washcloth and other hygiene items.
Lewis also said there is a need for a church group to bring a mobile feeding station. County officials report a great need for a way to prepare and deliver hot meals to residents in the unincorporated areas.
“We're going to be here for the long term,” Lewis said. “We're going to stay with them through this thing.”
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