Hurricane Ian Threatens the Gulf Coast of Florida

Hurricane Ian threatens Gulf Coast of Florida

**UPDATE 9/30/22 – Our disaster relief team is officially on the move and delivering vital supplies to help hurricane victims in hard-hit areas like Naples, Florida!

For all the latest Hurricane relief efforts, follow us at https://ob.org/tag/hurricane-ian

UPDATE 9/29/22: Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida as a catastrophic category 4 storm, about 90 miles south of Tampa near Caya Costa, but wreaking havoc over much of Florida’s southwestern coast. Storm surges reportedly reached as high as 18 feet as buildings were flattened and houses washed away. Hundreds are feared dead. Please keep Florida in your prayers! Operation Blessing is on standby in Florida and ready to move into the hard-hit areas as soon as possible with vital disaster aid for victims in need.

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UPDATE 9/28/22: Hurricane Ian has strengthened! It’s still barreling toward the western coast of Florida, officially as a category 4 storm with destructive winds and giant storm surges. The powerful center of the storm will make landfall soon, just south of Tampa. However, most of the state will be impacted due to the massive size. During any hurricane we can expect flooding, downed trees loss of power, damaged homes and businesses, and worse. But a category 4 hurricane can completely decimate a city, leaving devastation that looks like a bomb struck it. Please keep them in your prayers!**

FLORIDA – An Operation Blessing disaster response team has already been deployed to Florida with emergency supplies and equipment as Hurricane Ian approaches the Gulf Coast. According to forecasts, the storm could hit the Gulf Coast of Florida with as high as a Category 4 storm surge, along with strong winds and heavy rainfall.

“It’s important to point out to folks that the path of this is still uncertain,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The impacts will be broad throughout the state of Florida.”

Staying Ahead of Hurricane Ian

We are moving out in advance of powerful Hurricane Ian. Our team will be setting up at our warehouse in Ocala, Florida, so they will be ready to respond to storm damage at a moment’s notice – wherever it is most needed along the Gulf Coast. We are already in contact with pastors and relief partners throughout the area to continue to prepare for Hurricane Ian’s landfall later this week. Survivors will need food, water, supplies, encouragement, and assistance with repairs.

As we strive to stay ahead of this destructive storm, we want to be ready for whatever might come our way. You can help! You can join us in providing much-needed assistance to disaster victims.

With the help of partners like you, we have also been on the ground in Puerto Rico, helping residents recover after the devastation that Hurricane Fiona left in its wake last week. Our team is providing disaster relief like food, solar lamps, clean water support, and encouragement that so many need during their darkest hours.

Please pray in the days ahead for our team and those in the path of Hurricane Ian that God will weaken the storm. Let’s stand together, so that no one has to face storms like Hurricane Ian alone. Give a special gift to help disaster victims now.

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Food for Hurricane Fiona Victims

food for hurricane fiona survivors in puerto rico

PUERTO RICO – In the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, masses of Puerto Rico residents are without even the most basic necessities. Beyond massive flooding of their homes, roads, businesses, churches, and schools are deeper ongoing problems. The lack of power and access to clean water and supplies is presenting hunger challenges for many Puerto Ricans. One of the biggest challenges is the need for food for Hurricane Fiona victims.

Food Insecurity Issues Following Hurricane Fiona

Compounding the food insecurity issues from Hurricane Fiona is the lack of on-hand provisions for many people on the island. Lillian Doval Estepa, director of a nonprofit help center in Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Rico said, “Most of the people were not prepared.”

Since the storm, she and her team have been working hard to provide food to Hurricane Fiona survivors. They have served hundreds of meals to hungry people who do not have the supplies or facilities to prepare their own.

The situation is so dire that the center workers were forced to go door to door asking for food donations before Operation Blessing arrived. This is a difficult position to be in, since even people who have food must ration it to sustain themselves as the island moves toward recovery. But your generosity changed all that!

Operation Blessing Donors Provide Food for Hurricane Survivors

The endless generosity of Operation Blessing donors has helped to provide food for Hurricane Fiona survivors. Your partnership helped provide ample food and supplies to hungry people whose lives have been decimated by Hurricane Fiona. You helped provide groceries, cleaning supplies, and other essential items to help people get back on their feet. This includes giving hurricane victims access to hot meals. Hot meals help provide comfort to people facing a long road to recovery as the island must rebound from the second massive storm in five years.

Lillian and so many other people are very grateful. She says, “It’s the best thing you can do, because when you feed a person, you give them love, and they feel it.” Thank you for sharing your love with people suffering in Puerto Rico. Even a simple hot meal can help provide solace to those facing so much devastation after the storm.

You can give a special gift to bless disaster victims today!

Hurricane Relief in Ponce, Puerto Rico

distributing disaster relief in Ponce, Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Fiona

PUERTO RICO – Operation Blessing is on the ground in Ponce, Puerto Rico helping hurting residents after Hurricane Fiona. Flood waters from the storm ravaged communities, causing extensive damage.

Since the hurricane hit, around 1 million homes have been left without power, and many lack clean water.

Pastor Giovanni Sasde of Gosèn Family Church shared his personal experience in the aftermath of the storm. ” Like what happened before with Hurricane Maria, we have been greatly impacted by this hurricane. As of now, every sector of the country is still without power. My home doesn’t have any electricity. I don’t have any water.”

Operation Blessing in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Thanks to the generous support of Operation Blessing partners, the Disaster Relief team visited several communities and churches to distribute rechargeable solar lamps and Aquatabs, including Ponce. These tablets purify water and provide residents with clean water to drink and cook with.

Pastor Giovanni said, “That is exactly what we need now in this time where there are so many people with fear and anxiety. We feel blessed that we have Operation Blessing here, because we know their heart. We know that they are urged by the Lord to come and help us.”

The Disaster Relief team is able to be on the ground helping families in Ponce, Puerto Rico, take their first steps towards recovery thanks to the generosity of Operation Blessing partners.

Pastor Giovanni said, “I know that Operation Blessing does great things, and the Lord is always with them. Thank you, and God bless every single person that made this happen.”

To make a special gift to disaster victims in need please visit ob.org/disasterrelief.

Sending a Light to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona

Light and hurricane relief supplies for Hurricane Fiona victims in Puerto Rico.

PUERTO RICO – Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico Sunday afternoon, wreaking havoc on many communities. Catastrophic flooding has ruined homes and left over 1 million people without power. The situation is dire as thousands have no access to power, clean water, or supplies.

Thanks to the support of Operation Blessing partners, the Disaster Relief Team rushed to Puerto Rico with emergency relief equipment and solar lamps to bring light to families who no longer have electricity. The road to recovery will be long following the impact of this devastating storm. Even something as simple as a solar light can bring hope, as part of the many essential relief supplies for Hurricane Fiona.

Relief Supplies For Hurricane Fiona

In the days ahead, Operation Blessing will continue on the ground in Puerto Rico helping families that are struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Currently, the team is actively working to distribute more supplies in areas of greatest need while preparing to assist with food and water. This includes distributing supplies in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

solar lights for Hurricane Fiona victims

Please Pray For Puerto Rico

Thank you for your endless prayers, partnership, and support of Puerto Rico after the destruction of Hurricane Fiona. Please continue to pray for the many residents of the island who now find themselves struggling to obtain even the most basic necessities. Your continued support helps bring hope to people who have lost so much.

Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief

PUERTO RICO – As monster Hurricane Fiona continues its destructive path towards Bermuda with 130 mph winds, Puerto Rico is reeling in the aftermath. With the worst behind them, these battered citizens now face the long road to recovery.

They’ll have to overcome ruined roads, flooded homes and public buildings, and ongoing power outages first, and they need your help. One local pastor’s words say it all, “We have experienced a national catastrophe.” He went on, “At the moment, I don’t have any electricity. I don’t have any water.” Friends like you can be their support in this time of need, and Operation Blessing can partner with you to show God’s love.

Help Disaster Victims Now!

Relief Distributions in Hard-Hit Areas

Already, thanks to friends like you, the Operation Blessing team is on the ground in Puerto Rico offering hurricane relief to people in devastated areas. The most important needs right now for Puerto Rico hurricane relief are the most basic—food, water, and shelter. But power is key for food and water access, and approximately one million people still lack electricity. So with your support, our team is addressing those needs first while looking for additional ways to help.

Our first two days of relief were fruitful with key distributions. In one community near Ponce that had lost power, the residents were struggling to drink or cook, and we provided them with clean water solutions and solar lamps to light up the night. For those with damaged roofs, we are also helping keep out the elements by providing heavy-duty tarps.

Critical Next Steps for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief

Operation Blessing is continuing to assess damaged areas to determine where to best provide assistance, and local churches are helping us identify the areas of greatest need in their communities. Pastor Giovanni and Iglesia De La Familia in Ponce connected us with a nearby community called El Sol that is in dire need of assistance. With the help of friends like you, this church is eager to serve its neighbors and show them God’s love. The pastor shared, “We feel blessed that we have Operation Blessing coming in here, because we know their heart. We know that they are motivated to come and help us.”

Some communities we are looking to help have been severely damaged by a major hurricane for the second time in just five years, so it’s critical that they see us return with tangible aid to help facilitate hurricane relief. Our team also visited with residents in a housing project development called Villas del sol in Toa Baja organized by formerly homeless people since Hurricane Maria. Their homes were half underwater from the storm, and with your help, we hope to reach out to them as well.

Pray for Puerto Rico

Puerto Ricans are struggling, and they need help and prayer. Please continue to ask God to strengthen all those facing the difficult path to recovery and to provide for their felt needs. Thank you for being part of our Operation Blessing family. Your prayers and gifts change lives!

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Press Release: Sending Hurricane Relief to Puerto Rico

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – (September 20, 2022) – The humanitarian organization Operation Blessing has deployed its U.S. Disaster Relief Team to Puerto Rico to assist residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.

Operation Blessing Deploys Disaster Relief Team For Hurricane Fiona

The Operation Blessing team departed this morning from Norfolk carrying dozens of portable solar lamps and other emergency relief equipment. When they arrive later today, the team will join with partner organizations in San Juan and Ponce, Puerto Rico to distribute the emergency supplies and determine the next steps.

After Hurricane Fiona departed, Operation Blessing’s partner organizations assessed the greatest needs facing residents. Currently, the major concerns remain the extensive power outage, roads with restricted travel in some areas due to mudslides or flooding, and a shortage of safe water.

hurricane fiona relief effort in Puerto rico

Operation Blessing Deploys Disaster Relief Team For Hurricane Maria

Operation Blessing was a first responder when Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017 and spent the following year providing relief efforts there, including extensive efforts to provide safe drinking water to families across Puerto Rico. This was done through multiple solutions including the distribution of Kohler Clarity filters, the deployment of 18 separate reverse osmosis systems that could treat 18,000 to 40,000 gallons of safe water daily, and the distribution of handheld chlorine generators and over 12,000 gallons of liquid chlorine.

Operation Blessing in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, to provide hurricane relief after Fiona

In addition to safe water efforts, Operation Blessing also worked to improve local nonprofit organizations’ abilities to provide goods and services, treated stagnant swimming pools with mosquito-eating fish to avert a disease outbreak, distributed clothing to school children, and distributed over 35,000 pounds of food to more than 10,000 people. Recently, Operation Blessing donated a box truck to a partner organization located on Vieques to aid its ongoing hunger relief initiatives.

“The availability of safe water and electricity are critical in the aftermath of any disaster,” said Operation Blessing’s International Disaster Relief coordinator Benjamin Britton, who is leading the team in Puerto Rico. “Without those, the situation could very quickly turn into a public health calamity. Operation Blessing has worked to serve the people of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, and we are honored to return today and help these wonderful people in any way we can.”

Operation Blessing deploys disaster relief team with solar lights

To donate to the relief efforts, https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief/

About Operation Blessing

Based in Virginia Beach, VA, Operation Blessing (OB) provides humanitarian services such as strategic disaster relief, medical care, hunger relief, and clean water. Founded in 1978, Operation Blessing has touched the lives of millions of people in more than 90 countries and territories, including the US. For more information about Operation Blessing, please visit www.ob.org.

# # #

CONTACT:

Chris Roslan

Roslan & Associates Public Relations

(212) 966-4600, ext 101

Reach me anywhere at (917) 538-5629

chris@rc-pr.com

http://rc-pr.com/

Hurricane Fiona Strikes Puerto Rico

UPDATE (09/22/22) – The Disaster Relief Team is actively working in hard-hit communities around Ponce, distributing key items like solar lamps, water purification tablets, and roofing tarps while we look to offer additional help where it’s needed.

For all the latest on Hurrricane Fiona visit ob.org/tag/hurricane-fiona!

UPDATE (09/20/22) – Operation Blessing has deployed its U.S. Disaster Relief Team to Puerto Rico to assist residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. The relief team departed this morning from Norfolk, VA carrying dozens of portable solar lamps and other emergency relief equipment. Upon arrival, the team joined with partner organizations in San Juan and Ponce, Puerto Rico to distribute the emergency supplies and determine next steps.

PUERTO RICO (09/19/22) – Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast on Sunday afternoon, September 18, 2022 as a Category 1 storm. Torrential rain and high-speed winds pummeled the coastal island, plunging 1.5 million Puerto Ricans into a blackout. Fiona even unleashed landslides that ripped up asphalt and sent rivers of water to envelop cars and first floors.

Associated Press reports that hundreds of people were evacuated or rescued across the island as floodwaters rose swiftly. Dangerous flash floods continue to devastate the area, and the crisis situation is still unfolding. Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi states, “The damages that we are seeing are catastrophic.”

Hurricane Fiona hit just two days before the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria that struck on Sep. 20, 2017. Many people were traumatized by that disaster, and having another catastrophic event so soon is more than they can bear. They will need our help and our prayers.

As the hurricane continues on, we are actively assessing the situation to serve disaster victims in need! Operation Blessing President Gordon Robertson assures us, “Operation Blessing was there after Hurricane Maria, and we are prepping our disaster relief right now to evaluate the storm damage and what we can do about it.”

You can give a special gift to help disaster victims now.

Teams are monitoring Hurricane Fiona as it continues its destructive path.

Teams Assess Hurricane Fiona Damage and Begin Distributing Relief Supplies

Right now, we are assessing the damage in hard-hit Puerto Rico to determine next steps as our teams begin distributing disaster relief supplies like solar lights. Those in greatest need will soon receive water filters, disaster kits, and more as we target specific hard-hit locations. We’re also exploring the best ways to provide essentials like clean water and food.

Please pray for the families who are facing these terrible circumstances. Together, we can make a difference in their lives and give them hope for tomorrow. Thank you for being part of our Operation Blessing family.

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STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES

Cervical Cancer Screening Brings Hope To Haitian Women

HAITI – A positive test result on a cervical cancer screening could drive anyone into bouts of anxiety. But because YOU helped, Sinfanie’s brush with cervical cancer actually turned out to have a positive ending. Forty-year-old Sinfanie lives in one of the poorest areas in Haiti. She had never been screened for cervical cancer in Haiti. This type of service is just not available where she lives.

Women have to go to the city—a trip that’s too far and too costly—to have this important diagnostic test done at private facilities, which often includes expensive fees. For years, Sinfanie has been looking for more affordable options but found none.

Detecting Cervical Cancer In Haiti

So when she learned that Operation Blessing was in town to provide this test for free, she got really excited. She woke up early that morning and was one of the first in line at the center. We had trained a specialized team of three nurses and a gynecologist, and they came prepared for any test result.

Hand in hand with kind donors like you, Operation Blessing brought all the supplies needed for cancer screening and treatment, as well as to conduct cervical cancer prevention training and treat lesions before they could turn into cancer. The team welcomed Sinfanie and the other women with open arms. She was happy to have the screening done, and then she waited for the result.

Her test turned out positive for a precancerous condition. In fact, of the 94 tests done that day, 16 women were positive for a cancerous or a precancerous condition. But Operation Blessing knew how to properly deliver this news to Sinfanie and how to provide proper care to help stave off cervical cancer in Haiti. A trained gynecologist gently explained to Sinfanie that they had found evidence of an infection on her cervix. If left untreated, cancer could develop—and spread. Without this lifesaving test, Sinfanie wouldn’t have known that a silent killer might be growing inside of her.

Thanks to support from friends like you, Sinfanie and the others underwent treatment for their conditions. This included thermocoagulation, painkillers and antibiotics. Sinfanie also has an appointment for reevaluation in her area.

She is so relieved. “Without this opportunity, the disease could develop inside my body and this infection could even develop into full-fledged cancer,” she said. “You saved my life!” Together with you, we are conquering this hidden killer for women living in the poorest of nations. Thank you for caring enough to give.

Early detection is the best prevention!

In Haiti … every year, approximately 588 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer while about 75% of these die from their cancer.

Helping Ukrainians Find Their Way

UKRAINE – In wartime, life can turn upside down overnight. For struggling Ukrainian refugees like Svitlana and her family, it did. And for many families like hers, the rebuilding will take years. She recalls, “When the bombs hit our city, we spent the night in the basement. In the morning, our apartment was destroyed! It was completely gone.”

It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to walk up the basement stairs after a sleepless night only to discover your home is missing—and memories are all that remain. Before Russia invaded, Ukrainian citizens lived in peace. They were able to go to work without fearing for their lives or wondering if their children had a future. Svitlana gave people manicures; she helped women feel beautiful, providing for her children in the process—until that fateful day.

Struggling Ukrainian Refugees Get Support From Operation Blessing

Her family had no choice but to flee the area and find safe haven. At last, they did, at a shelter in Lviv where you helped to meet them with love, support and supplies for their daily needs. One of the primary struggles for families on the move is maintaining a sense of normalcy. Without routines, the smallest things can make people—especially children—feel insecure. That’s why Operation Blessing brought washers and dryers to the shelter to make simple, necessary tasks like washing clothes less of a burden.

Another way you showed your compassion was by bringing joy to the most vulnerable among Ukrainian refugees: the little ones. One of the most normal—and wonderful— things in the world is having a birthday party, but children like Svitlana’s 8-year-old daughter skipped their birthdays when they fled for their lives. So Operation Blessing helped them celebrate right where they were—with food, festivities, and special gifts for each child.

You also made it possible to provide Svitlana with the tools she needed to earn a living while trying to start again. Now, with a complete manicure set in hand, she’s already taking steps to build a new future one client at a time. Her words say it all: “I’m very grateful to Operation Blessing for getting me all the things I need to continue doing what I love. I’m very grateful to you.”

Famine in Horn of Africa

AFRICA – Throughout the Horn of Africa, people are starving. Due to a record-breaking drought, much of the population is facing crisis hunger levels. George Thomas of The 700 Club reports that in Somalia alone around 8 million people are suffering from life-threatening hunger, and that 1 in 3 children face chronic malnutrition due to famine in the Horn of Africa.

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The dire conditions in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya are caused by a combination of the devastating drought, lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which devastated the African economy, and supply issues due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The drought killed crops across the region, and livestock as well.

Alex Marianelli of the World Food Program said, “We’ve had four failed rains. The drought that we’re currently seeing in the Horn of Africa is the worst drought in over 40 years.” And on average, one person dies every 48 seconds from hunger in the area.

“Because of the drought, many water sources have dried up. Many wells have also dried up,” says Wafer Saeed Abdelatef, a UNICEF Representative.

With crops failing. The United Nations says some 22 million people are at risk of starvation, many of them farmers who only grow enough food to feed their own families.

“People will be forced to flee to look for food.” says Rein Paulsen, of the Food and Agricultural Organization. “People will have to try and find a way to survive. And obviously this entails very perilous journeys for people who are already marginalized.”

The Devastating Impact Of Famine in the Horn of Africa

In Somalia alone, around 8 million people, or half the population, are experiencing crisis hunger levels. One in three children face chronic malnutrition.

Ann Kasombo oversees CBN’s offices in Kenya. In partnership with Operation Blessing, they have been distributing food and other aid supplies to some of the hardest hit regions of her country.

“It’s been quite devastating in some communities…food is hard to come by because they are not able to grow their food.”

Operation Blessing, delivered critical food supplies to the northern part of Kenya, targeting some of the toughest areas in those villages as we helped so many families fight hunger and food insecurity.

Thank you to our friends who sent special gift to help Kenyans in need during this difficult time. Please consider helping even more people during times of natural disaster and crisis.

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