By Jeff Brumley
Disaster recovery forces have swung into action to help the victims of tornadoes that struck North Texas the night after Christmas, killing 11.
Much of the work is being led by faith-based organizations, with organizations like Texas Baptist Disaster Recovery and Texas Baptist Men doing much of the heavy lifting.
And they want to do more and they are asking for help.
“Volunteer teams are needed,” Texas Baptists said online, adding that individuals and churches are needed to assist in debris clearing and clean-up.
The plea provides information on the documentation, supplies and equipment volunteers need in order to participate. And it also provides the locations where help is needed: Rowlett, Garland and Glenn Heights.
The Baptist Standard reported Thursday that Texas Baptist Men teams have been busy using chainsaws, skid-steer loaders and tarps to assist North Texas residents impacted by the twisters.
The article said 100 jobs had been completed in the first 10 days since the Dec. 26 storms.
“TBM volunteers also installed temporary roofing for eight homes, provided facilities for 49 showers and 43 loads of laundry, and distributed more than 6,600 boxes for residents to collect storm-scattered possessions,” the Standard reported. “They also gave away 44 Bibles and a dozen gospel tracts.”
Officials from both organizations told Baptist News Global shortly after the storms that recovery could be as long and difficult as it was after the deadly twisters that struck Oklahoma in 2013.
And both organizations made appeals for donations to help finance ongoing operations. The Texas Baptist Disaster Recovery fund may be reached here and TBM’s fund at this link.