UCC Stands Ready to Assist Carolinas Flood Survivors

Severe flooding has claimed 17 lives in South Carolina and two in North Carolina, and the emergency is not over yet.  Evacuation orders affecting thousands of people in coastal areas are in force, with authorities warning that flooding could continue for up to two more weeks.

United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries has been monitoring the situation and has reached out to the UCC Southeast Conference Disaster Coordinator and other conference leaders to offer support for both early response and long-term recovery needs.

“We support local efforts through solidarity grants that are aimed at meeting local immediate needs in affected communities where our churches are active,” said UCC Disaster Ministries Executive Zach Wolgemuth.  One such grant was awarded to Garden of Grace UCC in Columbia, S.C., which has collected hundreds of pounds of clothing, food, toiletries and other items for evacuation shelters and is assisting four flooded member families with cleanup and recovery.  

“Furthermore, I fully expect that UCC Disaster Ministries will be engaged long term in meeting the unmet needs of survivors struggling to put their lives back together,” he said.

Wolgemuth urged UCC members to keep people in the Carolinas in prayer, support the UCC’s Emergency USA Fund, and be prepared to volunteer to support long-term recovery efforts in the months and years ahead.