Hurricane Relief Kits Collected At Anne Arundel Church Heading To NC Victims

ODENTON, MD — An Odenton church is collecting supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene, which leveled entire towns in Appalachia late last month.

The First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Odenton is sending the supplies to severely damaged western North Carolina, where the church's pastor was raised.

"It has been difficult to see all of the devastation and all of the stories of people losing everything," Pastor Corey Brooks told Patch in a Tuesday email. "From the pictures I have seen, places were absolutely devastated and will not look the same for many years to come."

Helene dumped six months' worth of rain on the North Carolina foothills in late September, BBC reported, noting that at least 95 are dead and 92 remain unaccounted for in the western part of the state because of flash flooding.

USA Today said 80% of Asheville's River Arts District was destroyed when the French Broad River crested a record-breaking 24.67 feet above normal. Up to 100,000 North Carolina residents were still without running water as of Oct. 13 and around 100 of the state's bridges need replacement, USA Today reported.

"In what may seem like ... the darkest point of people's lives who have just been devastated by Hurricane Helene, we are here to bring the light of Christ to them in this darkest of times," Brooks said. "Being a native of North Carolina, I knew we needed to help."

First Evangelical Lutheran launched its relief drive on Oct. 1. It has since collected over 1,000 hygiene kits and 146 flood clean-up buckets. Diapers and wipes are also being collected. The church will pack a trailer and drive the supplies down on Monday.

The group plans to drop supplies at a sister congregation in Conover, North Carolina. It then hopes to serve hot meals and sandwiches in heavily damaged Asheville and Ashe County, where Brooks still has family. The exact itinerary is still being ironed out, but the goal is to stay until at least Wednesday or possibly as long as Friday.

"We are called to go, to love, and to serve. And the people of First Evangelical Lutheran have done just that," Brooks said. "The love of Christ is made known through them each and every day."

First Evangelical Lutheran thanked these churches and businesses for their donations:

• Lowe's in Severn
• St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie
• The Home Depot in Glen Burnie
• The Home Depot in Pasadena
• Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Greenbelt
• EL-shaddai Evangelical Church in Greenbelt
• Kingdom Agenda in Glen Burnie
• Galilee Lutheran Church in Pasadena
• St. Joseph Catholic Church in Odenton

"The outpouring of support from many congregations and the community here in Odenton and around the state has been amazing to see," Brooks said. "As a native of North Carolina, I can say with confidence that the people of Western NC thank everyone who has helped with these efforts here in Maryland and beyond."

The church, located at 8397 Piney Orchard Parkway, is still collecting supply donations during business hours through Thursday.

The most needed items are:

• Liquid laundry detergent
• Liquid concentrate household cleaner
• Dish soap
• Insect repellent
• Scrub brushes
• Clothespins and clotheslines
• Kitchen gloves (Sets of two)
• Hand towels
• Washcloths
• Small bottles of shampoo
• Quilts and warm blankets
• Lanterns
• Flashlights
• Batteries for flashlights and lanterns

Residents can also donate money to the cause by selecting "disaster relief" at felc.churchcenter.com/giving.

"The people of First Evangelical Lutheran have answered the call to help, and have given with cheerful hearts," Brooks said. "As a congregation, we seek to serve not only this community, but our neighbors all around the world."