Individuals across the Western hemisphere have prayerfully watched and planned for Hurricane Dorian in the last few weeks. The full extent of damage to the United States coastline is yet to be seen. Dorian ranks as the second strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most destructive to ever hit the Bahamas. As the extent of the destruction is revealed, Bahamians and relief workers will be evaluating needs and making plans for recovery.
Although disaster can arrive in an instant, Global Hunger Relief provides a way for Southern Baptists to always be ready to respond with life-saving food in these most critical of situations.
Established in 1978 as the World Hunger Fund, Global Hunger Relief is an initiative of the Southern Baptist Convention dedicated to combating hunger and sharing the Bread of Life around the world. The ERLC partners with six other organizations in this effort, including Baptist Global Response and the North American Mission Board.
A team from Baptist Global Response arrived last week to evaluate the needs of the most affected areas in the Bahamas. “The level of destruction is heart-wrenching,” wrote Jeff Palmer, CEO of BGR, in an update this week. “There's a lot of work to be done.”
BGR is a disaster relief and community development organization. Operating through a network of local and state-side partners, BGR responds to international situations of immediate crisis, as well as remaining on the ground to re-establish communities after devastating losses such as these.
As a part of the Dorian response, GHR funds will be deployed in gospel-centered hunger projects, both domestically and internationally, in the weeks and months to come. Priorities for relief will be food, water, shelter, and hygiene in the Bahamas. NAMB will work with Baptist state conventions to organize relief efforts in the United States and its territories.
Churches will have a special opportunity to support the work of Global Hunger Relief next month. On October 13, churches around the United States will host a Global Hunger Sunday, informing their people of the global hunger crisis and leading their congregations to give to meet these critical needs. A variety of free resources are available to help churches tell the story of GHR and equip their people to give.
Because of the unique partnership through the Southern Baptist Convention, 100% of donations to Global Hunger Relief go toward hunger needs. Nothing is taken out for administrative or promotional costs.
Updates regarding the work of Baptist Global Response in response to Hurricane Dorian can be found at gobgr.org.
