Convoy Expands Response as Reports of Damage Continue to Grow

Convoy of Hope, which originally established distribution sites in Perry and Steinhatchee, Florida, as it was ground zero for Hurricane Helene, has expanded its shipments of relief supplies in Florida alone to Mayo, Cross City, Jasper, Hudson, and Ruskin — Hudson and Ruskin both being in the Tampa area.

“Convoy is also sending supplies to: Asheville and Morganton, North Carolina; Greenville and Greenwood, South Carolina; Hendersonville and Johnson City, Tennessee; and Adel, Augusta, Macon, and Alamo, Georgia,” reports Ethan Forhetz, national spokesperson for Convoy of Hope. “This is a very fluid response. Convoy of Hope is working to meet the needs of survivors of these catastrophic weather events.”

Although Perry First Assembly of God was the only church in Florida with significant damage from Hurricane Helene, at least three AG churches have reported significant damage in Georgia (Augusta and Vidalia), along with a church in Greenville, South Carolina, and “multiple AG churches” in North Carolina — though that listing and the extent of the damage is still being verified by the North Carolina Assemblies of God as lack of cell service combined with flooding, downed trees and power lines, and washed out roads have made communication and access extremely challenging.

However, at this time, the three Hispanic AG districts in the storm’s path — Southern Latin, Florida Multicultural, and Spanish Eastern — have had no reports of church losses.

Despite the roof and water damage to Perry First Assembly of God, pastor David Stephens says his church has been helping coordinate volunteers with people who need help.

“People call in needing help, we learn the scope of work needed, and teams — in state and out of state — are calling in asking how they can help,” Stephens says. “So, we’ve been able to connect work requests with volunteers. We’ve also had a food truck here feeding some 2,000 people a day and we’ve been working with Convoy of Hope to help distribute aid to people.”

Stephens also praises the PenFlorida Dispatch Teams and the West Florida Ministry Network that have responded strongly to hard hit areas, helping people with their needs.

“I feel like God put us here for this season,” Stephens says, noting Hurricane Idalia hit them in 2023, followed by two major employers going out of business, with hundreds losing their jobs. “When we first moved here in 1998, we lost our home in a fire when the LP gas plant across the street from our house blew up and burned our house to the ground. The community put its arms around us then — and in this season, we’re continuing to place our arms around the community.”

Through the church’s ongoing efforts to connect with the community and build relationships with city authorities, city leaders have grown to appreciate and trust the church, now frequently turning to the church first in times of need, which Stephens sees as a blessing from the Lord.

To assist those affected by Hurricane Helene, please visit AG Disaster Relief.

Editor’s note: As more districts/networks are able to verify church conditions, this article will be updated to include additional reports of significant church damages.

Dan Van Veen

Dan Van Veen is news editor of AG News. Prior to transitioning to AG News in 2001, Van Veen served as managing editor of AG U.S. Missions American Horizon magazine for five years. He attends Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri, where he and his wife, Lori, teach preschool Sunday School and 4- and 5-year-old Rainbows boys and girls on Wednesdays.