Pittman Park UMC’s Response to Hurricane Helene
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Pittman Park UMC opened its doors in a way that truly embodied Christ’s love for our community. As soon as the storm had passed, our church partnered with UMCOR, Bulloch VOAD, Feed the Boro, 7th Mile Farm, Grice Connect, Georgia Southern Wesley Foundation, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Southern Athletics, Southbridge Church, Bulloch County Schools, and countless others to provide a place of refuge and relief.
We transformed our Fellowship Hall into a full-service recharging station, offering much more than just a place to charge devices. It became a sanctuary where people could cool off in the air conditioning, enjoy a hot shower, have a warm meal, and find a moment of peace amid the chaos. From Friday through Tuesday, we kept our doors open and expanded our services each day. What began as a simple charging station quickly grew as support from our partners and volunteers poured in. We soon provided hot meals, pallets of water and ice, and a Feed the Boro food drop for those in need.
The outpouring of support from the community was truly remarkable. Over the course of these five days, we welcomed more than 1,500 individuals seeking rest and relief. Of those, 700 took hot showers, 560 received items from the Feed the Boro Food Drop, and more than 1,400 hot meals were served. Countless individuals came by to fill water jugs for use in their homes, helping to restore a sense of normalcy in the aftermath of the storm.
One of the most inspiring parts of this response effort was the volunteers. In just five days, we had over 350 volunteers step up to serve, with at least 200 of them coming from Georgia Southern University and Georgia Southern Athletics. It was a powerful witness to see students and athletes alike pouring their time and energy into caring for the community. Their presence on Monday and Tuesday was especially meaningful, as they allowed many of our Pittman Park volunteers to rest after several days of intense service.
The ways in which Pittman Park responded during this time of need is a testament to what can happen when the church stands ready to serve. We are deeply grateful to every partner organization, every volunteer, and every person who entrusted us with their care during this time. Together, we lived out our calling to be the hands and feet of Christ, offering love, support, and relief to our neighbors.
As we reflect on these past days, we celebrate the power of community and the resilience of our town. Pittman Park will continue to serve in any way we can, knowing that with God’s help and the support of those around us, we can weather any storm.
God Bless,
Jonathan and Stephanie Smith
For Jesus. For People. For Community
To see a church actively serving our community, especially in a time of crisis, is both refreshing and inspiring! Being raised in the Methodist Church, I was taught to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can”. Seeing tangible examples of this always brings me joy.
I would like to assist in a tangible way and also honor one of your church families with a monetary donation. Doctors Scott and Chelsea Mikell give of themselves everyday and I am making a $1,000 donation in their honor to assist with hurricane efforts or any outreach they feel close to as a family. Again, I appreciate you being support and comfort for so many during this time!
Wow, what an encouragement! Thank you for your generous example.