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In this blog, I provide a directory of Christian grassroots relief ministries to the people of Western North Carolina, who were impacted by the Hurricane Helene flooding on September 27, 2024 (see link for more).

It is my hope that by posting these, that those who want to support the Lord's work either financially or by getting involved could find opportunities to do so here and connect wherever they are led by the Lord to do so.

I would also like this to be a repository of information to help network together the folks that are laboring on the front lines of this disaster.

Operation Mountain Relief

This is a group of several churches, including Wesleyan, Methodist, Baptist, and Church of God, which have joined together to provide relief. They have already sent food, water, warm clothing, sleeping bags, heaters, and Bibles that they have collected, and they continue to send financial support that they receive to fund the massive effort. All of it has been funneled through one particular church close to the area affected by the floods, which in turn is supplying distribution centers across the region, where people can go to receive the supplies. Wayne Allred raises public awareness of this effort and keeps the public posted on the latest news through his Youtube channel called DeepRiverFarm. 

Rising Light Relief

This ministry called Rising Light Relief is led by a lady in Bakersville, NC named Alyssa Vigneault, who is feeding around 500 people in the mountain hollows of Western North Carolina each week. She takes meals to them every other day and also does welfare checks on them. She has a Facebook page as well as a website. There are multiple ways to give through her website, including Paypal, Venmo, and Go Fund Me. Plus her Facebook page has multiple options for giving, including OneCause, which provides a tax deductible receipt for those who need one.

Camp Susque

This Christian Camp in Pennsylvania has raised over $134,000 to buy campers to donate as temporary shelters for the displaced people impacted by Hurricane Helene. They have already spent $102,000 to purchase 25 campers for flood survivors. Some of them cost $2,000 - 3,000 per camper, while others may cost $15,000 per camper. All funds donated to this cause are being used to buy campers, except processing fees for online donations not covered by donors. This is a ministry that is doing a lot of good. Donations to this ministry are tax deductible. Their website is at this link. Here is part two of a video of them delivering one of the campers to a family.

Precision Grading

A very kind and caring man named Jake Jarvis, owner of Precision Grading, has been giving of his time and energy to help survivors in Western NC to recover from the disaster. Jake has worked everyday since the storm to help victims of the destruction with his earth moving equipment. Jake has helped people who lost their homes by removing debris and helping them to get back on their property, cutting roads, doing a lot of work in the Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, Green Cove areas. 

He's been operating his equipment and giving his time without charge to these victims. Actually his excavator has been in the shop since the beginning, so he is renting one. He's networked with a lot of people, including skilled tradesmen like electricians and folks with heavy equipment that are eager to offer their services free of charge to those in need. If you would like to help Jake with his mission, look up his Facebook account, Precision Grading or call him at 828-458-0017. He is based in Saluda, NC. The Venmo donations go to @Jake-Jarvis-13, and when you give, please remember to add the last four digits of his phone number, 0017.

Cabins for Christ

This is a ministry of Campers Care, based in Virginia, led by a man named Devon Taylor, who is building cabins for people in the mountains to live in, whose homes have either been lost, destroyed, or flooded. He donates the cabins to these people for free through the generous donations of those who support the ministry. These are tiny homes like tractor sheds. You can support this ministry or volunteer to help build the cabins at Cabins4Christ.org.

NOTE: The local government is not letting them have them, and is blocking roads, saying they have to have septic and electricity in them, that the tiny homes are not to code and the area is now deemed a flood zone. So the government is not approving them. Roy Arnett, pastor of Church of Jesus in Linville, has seen folks being denied these homes by the government.

Scriptures

Jesus said: “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’" (Matt 25:40)

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matt 22:37-38).

"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Prov 11:24-25)

“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” (Proverbs 28:27)

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Lk 6:38).

Attribution Notice: Image of Western North Carolina mountains courtesy of Trip Advisor, used per Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only, no copyright infringement intended. Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission.

Author's Note:  I also invite you to visit my collection of blogs at "Writing for the Master."  Now let me ask you a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.