200 TRUCKLOADS 300,000 PEOPLE SERVED OVER 100 COMMUNITIES
Helene
Hephzibah Jessup Lyons Macon Metter Mt. Vernon Nashville Pierce County Ray City Vidalia Ware County Waycross
Milton Communities Served: 25
Palmetto Riviera Beach Ruskin St. Petersburg Sarasota Sebring Sun City Center Tampa Temple Terrace Town ’n’ Country Venice Wesley Chapel Zephyrhills
5 Cleveland Johnson City Jonesborough Newport Talbott VIRGINIA1 Tazewell FLORIDA Bradenton Brandon Brooksville Cedar Key Clearwater Englewood Fort Myers Hudson Lake Placid Lakewood Ranch Ocala Orlando
PREPARING & RESPONDING
‘It was like an earthquake.’
—Resident of Perry, Florida
Convoy of Hope, with an established history of hurricane response since 1998, took note when record activity was predicted for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 storm in history on June 30 and the earliest Category 5 on July 1. Convoy served communities in the Caribbean and Texas impacted by Beryl. Convoy was again on site when Hurricane Debby brought heavy rain and flooding to the East Coast. When Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana, Convoy was there.
And then, Helene happened.
CAT 4 HELENE
On September 27, Helene made landfall as the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851. It was the third hurricane to devastate the region in 13 months. Millions lost power as the storm whipped through Florida, into Georgia, and then into the Carolinas.
“It was like an earthquake,” said one person from Perry, Florida.
60… 115… 137… 230…
DELUGE & DEATH
Helene tore a 500-mile path of destruction from Florida to the Southern Appalachians and dumped enough rain to keep Niagara Falls roaring for 619 days. The death toll rose gradually each day before it doubled over the following weekend — from 60 to at least 115 people. That wasn’t the end. The losses rose to 137. Then 230. North Carolina received the worst of the flooding, which killed 96 people and washed away homes and roads. News coverage noted “a wasteland of splintered houses, crushed cargo containers and mudcovered highways.”
Milton’s deadly tornadoes and dangerous storm surge caused at least 16 deaths.
CAT 5 MILTON
Floridians anxiously watched as Milton rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 48 hours: the fastest-ever Atlantic hurricane to do so. Milton was heading toward the more populated Tampa area of Florida, and the potential for it to do major damage was high. As it made landfall as a Category 3 storm, deadly tornadoes and dangerous storm surge caused at least 16 deaths.
‘Help is here!’
—Pastor
Dave Stephens, Perry First Assembly
ON THE GROUND
Convoy rolled into Perry, Florida, the morning after Helene blew through the area.
“We’re so grateful for you being here,” Pastor Dave Stephens of Perry’s First Assembly of God Church said. “I told my friends, ‘Help is here!’ You people are incredible.”
Convoy began distribution immediately. In Taylor County, 99% of residents were without power. Convoy set up distribution in the old sawmill in Perry, and cars filled the parking lot in lines for days. Every family that came through the distribution talked about the debris, downed trees, loss of power, and — for a few — the total destruction of their homes.
‘We’ll take it a day at a time. Every bit helps.’
—Roger, Perry resident
NORTH CAROLINA
With reports of catastrophic damage in North Carolina, Convoy sent truckloads of relief supplies and team members to get clean water and groceries into the hands of devastated people.
Helene inundated Asheville with murky, fast-moving rivers that washed away homes, businesses, trees, power poles, and entire communities.
“There have been so many people who have lost so much but are out here helping others who have lost everything,” said Catherine Como, an Asheville resident.
‘Everyone is willing to jump in and help.’
—Trevor Frauhiger, North Carolina Volunteers help distribute supplies to hurricane survivors.
“I think it’s amazing. You look around and everyone is willing to jump in and help,” said Trevor Frauhiger, a North Carolina resident who volunteered with Convoy.
Antoine Gale took the day off work to volunteer with his church and Convoy.
“People need things. They need power, water, and food. It was an honor to come here and assist,” he said.
Hygiene kits provide survivors with essentials such as soap and toothpaste.
VIDALIA, GEORGIA
In Georgia, Convoy partnered with several organizations in Vidalia to serve hundreds of Hurricane Helene survivors.
The drive-thru distribution took place at the local high school in the center of town. Football, volleyball, cheer, and tennis team members volunteered and served in the distribution lines.
The police department helped direct the lines of cars. Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper jumped in and served his community alongside the Convoy team. More than 70 volunteers from the community came together to take care of their neighbors.
Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper jumped in and served his community alongside the Convoy team.
EVERYONE HAS A ROLE
A family from Vidalia First Assembly came and served together. The mom, Marisol, wasn’t sure where she could help, but she was willing to do whatever was needed. She proved to be a vital part of the distribution. As cars came through the lines, Marisol acted as a translator for Spanish-speaking families and ensured they felt loved and cared for as they received relief supplies.
Staff and volunteers from churches all over Augusta showed up with trucks and trailers.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
In Augusta, Georgia, almost every home received wind and tree damage. The storm knocked power and water out for most of the town. Cornerstone Assembly, a local partner, struggled to find a place to store Convoy’s relief supplies and get them ready for distribution. When the auditorium they were using needed to be turned into a shelter, all the supplies they had ready to
distribute had to be moved. Pastor Phil Stanley called churches in the area, and the next thing he knew, staff and volunteers from churches all over Augusta showed up with trucks and trailers to load up the supplies and run their own drive-thru distributions. In just a few days, they helped thousands of families in need. The city of Augusta even sent their own box trucks and trailers to deliver supplies to people in need.
BACK-TO-BACK DISASTERS
When Hurricane Milton made landfall just two weeks after Helene in Sarasota County, Florida, Convoy was already on the ground and pivoted to include Milton in its Helene response.
‘We aren’t in a hurry to leave. This will be a long-term relief and recovery effort. We intend to continue the work, helping families put their lives back together.’
—Hal Donaldson, Convoy of Hope President
LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
To serve as many people as we can for as long as we can, Convoy is pursuing a wholistic response across the region. We will continue to provide resources to the impacted areas across six states, offer disaster training to local churches and partners on how best to serve long-term, and train rural churches how to respond before, during, and after a disaster. Convoy will hold community event distributions in the areas of greatest need for months to come.
Projected totals by November 15 ...
• 200 Truckloads of Resources
• 6 Million Pounds of Supplies
• 300,000+ People Served
WHEREVER DISASTER STRIKES, CONVOY OF HOPE IS READY.
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