Greater New Jersey’s United Methodists were already on the ground assisting homeowners with relief efforts when Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties on June 20, the last day of spring. In some areas, water has risen several feet, forcing emergency services to evacuate residents from their homes.
To help residents with flood relief efforts, a team from Good Shepherd UMC in Northfield in Atlantic County brought 100 cleaning kit buckets to the Burlington County Office of Emergency Management on June 25. The church hosts GNJ’s Southern Region UMCOR kit hub, where flood buckers and other relief supplies are collected and assembled. The UMCOR kit hub has supported GNJ’s relief efforts in the past, including during the aftermath of Sandy. Nicole Troast, coordinator of the hub, encourages our churches to join flood relief efforts by replenishing the supply of cleaning and hygiene kits, so that United Methodists are once again ready to respond when their neighbors are in need. Information about assembling the kits can be found on the disaster relief pages of GNJ’s website, www.gnjumc.org/disasterresponse/cleaning-buckets-health-kits/.