Tis The Season for Disaster Response

In the southern United States and the Ohio River Valley, April was marred by serious tornadoes and flooding. In Cincinnati, the Ohio River rose to 60.9 feet, well over its normal 25.4 feet. The high water caused flooding in several counties along the Ohio River.

To help residents, the city of Cincinnati hosted a Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 12, at the LaBlond Recreation Center. Ohio Disaster Relief provided food service.

Our feeding unit handed out bottled water, snacks, coffee, and chicken noodle soup. LeAnn Byford, mass care coordinator for the Hamilton County emergency manager, commented that she had many comments about how much people liked the coffee and soup.

Team chaplain and feeding unit cook, Sarah Jo Wright from Urbancrest Baptist Church, had the opportunity to talk to and pray with the mayor of Cincinnati and other officials at the event.
Supporting the community cleanup was just the beginning.

To best meet the needs of impacted residents in Hamilton and Clermont Counties, Ohio DR deployed teams in a targeted way through day trips into the affected areas.

Day trips allow Ohio DR volunteers the opportunity to take one day off from their regular jobs instead of an entire week away from work.  

During a day trip to the area, new Ohio DR team leader Paul O’Bryant from First Baptist Church, Waverly, led a team to New Richmond to assist two families. One was a man who was able to get a few things done but really needed help doing the heavy tear out.

The team also included chaplains Mark and Mary Leigh Snowden from Clough Pike Baptist Church.

The role of the chaplain can be challenging. They are trying to have conversations with homeowners, assessing their stress levels and assisting in any needed trauma care.

In addition, they are responsible for the emotional and spiritual care of the DR team they serve alongside. While local individuals feel trauma after an event, our DR volunteers experience stress as they help others.

Much of the work in disaster relief is done for people who can’t do it themselves. In New Richmond, Ohio DR assisted a couple, Samantha and Kevin. Kevin recently had heart surgery and was unable to work.

Samantha spent time talking with Chaplain Mary Leigh Snowden and shared that she was grateful for Ohio DR coming to help with the flood recovery in her home. For nearly two hours, Mary Leigh listened to Samantha as she poured out her heart about the hardships that had befallen her family in recent years.

Everything Ohio Disaster Relief does comes from a heart for compassion ministry. That’s our mission. We bring help, hope, and healing to people in crisis. Our work helps people pick up the pieces and begin to move forward. What we do also opens the door for all our DR volunteers, not just our chaplains, to share the hope and peace that come from a life with Jesus Christ.