• Christine Rogers

Disaster Relief Teamwork in Valdosta Georgia

Valdosta, G.A. (October 2, 2024) – Coordinating disaster relief requires teamwork across agencies. Since hitting the ground in Valdosta, Georgia, The Salvation Army has been working closely with the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Kentucky organization. Their team cooks the food, and The Salvation Army distributes it to communities in need.

“We are like Batman and Robin,” jokes Captain Jamaal Ellis, Canteen Coordinator for the Salvation Army in Valdosta. “I don’t get to say who is Batman and who is Robin in the partnership, but beautiful things happen when we work together.”

Disaster Relief Kentucky arrived late Saturday, September 28 in the dark with no power. Within six hours they turned an empty parking lot into a fully functioning kitchen able to serve their first meal Sunday night. As often happens in a disaster, there were hiccups along the way. Alan Jaster, Feeding Chief for Disaster Relief Kentucky says they were initially hampered by a gas leak, some equipment issues, and a staff shortage.

“Your people have been patient, understanding, considerate, supportive. I cannot come up with more adjectives. I would need a Thesaurus. You’ve been awesome.”

Jaster says with God’s help, they’ve been able to surmount their challenges and deliver thousands of meals a day.

“Every obstacle we ran into we just lift it up in prayer. God has provided everything we’ve needed, when we needed, and how much we needed for the day. Tomorrow is another day.”

This is the first time Jaster has worked with The Salvation Army and after this experience he says it would be his first pick every time.

“We’ve been in sync,” said Ellis. “Between the two of us the trust is great. They expect us to get out and minister to the hearts and bellies of people and they are laboring to cook the food. They are trusting us to get it out to the people who need it.”

This work often requires patience and grace. During a disaster, the needs are great and the hours are long but both men say they feel privileged to be able to serve.

“I enjoy helping people,” says Jaster. “Those impacted by the storm are at a low spot in their lives. They’ve had homes destroyed, their jobs destroyed, their lives are turned upside down and they are standing there saying what do I do? Where do go? The best thing we can do for them is put some hot food in their bellies so at least they have the strength and the energy, and they are not putting their kids to bed on empty stomachs.”

For Captain Ellis, disaster work is an extension of his day job as an Army officer and the call to help others.

“Our mission is to minister to others. In disaster situations it goes a little bit deeper because you’re helping people that possibly had all they needed yesterday but today that’s all changed. We come into these situations understanding that for a lot of people it’s been a long time since they’ve had to ask for help. We get to meet those needs as God allows.”