More relief organizations provide Idalia disaster assistance in South Georgia

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - More relief organizations are providing disaster assistance to South Georgians impacted by Hurricane Idalia.

“It’s definitely the most important thing I can think of. It’s awesome, it’s amazing, and it’s the biggest blessing anybody can offer is to help people in need. I’m looking for some free tree removal out of my grandparent’s yard. My grandmother doesn’t have the funds right now to get out because she’s still paying for her husband’s funeral expenses,” Jennifer Rutland, a Valdosta resident, said.

Send Relief and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief have partnered to provide local communities with food, water, showers and disaster cleanup and recovery.

“It’s a joint effort. We believe that you are more like Christ when you are serving other people,” Billy Fricks, who works with Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, said.

The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is giving residents the opportunity to receive free disaster recovery services. The services include storm damage assessment and clean up, food, water and family care.

“I think it gives them hope,” Fricks said. “We found most residents, especially the elderly and the handicapped, they are totally without hope. They see that there really is some good in the world.”

Camp Rock is a partnering ministry of Send Relief, which responds to crises in communities around North America. The organization opened on the day of Hurricane Idalia to immediately provide impacted people with hot meals, showers, and other disaster assistance.

“Sharing with them that we are a local organization and we are going to do this with you, we’re going to go every day with you. We’re going to feed you every day, we’re going to help you. I think the sense of community has come back during this disaster,” Jay Watkins, with Send Relief and founder of Camp Rock, said, “A lot these families out here are already struggling and we say the need. As of today, we have served about 6,600 families in just this location, along with linemen.”

“Families were safe, and we we were fine, so we straight into helping our community,” Garrett Stout, a Camp Rock volunteer, said. “There’s needs and we’ve just been able to fill those needs. People are in rough spots, and we just want to help them out. Let them see the love in action.”

Send Relief partnered with Second Harvest of South Georgia to provide food and water, as well as, the partnership with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, which extends help, healing, and hope to those in need.

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief will continue to offer residential assistance at Northside Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Send Relief is providing showers, food and water at Camp Rock on 4407 Rocky Ford Road, Valdosta. The updated times are available via Facebook.

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