IOCC In Bahamas – Serving after the Storm
IOCC – 12/2/2020
Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas with sustained winds of 185 miles per hour—some of the strongest ever recorded in an Atlantic storm. Thousands of survivors were left without food, electricity, clean water, and housing.
IOCC, along with Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and other partners, has established two 12-month programs to help meet survivors’ needs, particularly those of evacuees.
The largest children’s home in Nassau provides food, shelter, and education for children in need. After Dorian, the number of children there doubled, taking in evacuee children from Grand Bahama Island, where their home was completely destroyed. Many have serious health concerns, including cerebral palsy and asthma. IOCC and the United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries are providing financial support for additional staffing and services, such as psychosocial support to help them process the trauma they’ve experienced.
At Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Nassau, The Lord’s Kitchen has been cooking and distributing weekend meals to 700–800 people— despite antiquated equipment. Since Dorian hit, the church has been serving an additional 450 meals a day to evacuees. With generous donor support, including from the National Philoptochos Society, IOCC is providing funds for new equipment and more staff, so that the kitchen can serve weekly meals for up to 600 people in need across Nassau and could serve up to 800 evacuees daily in any future storms.
The more than 75,000 Bahamians affected by Dorian, including thousands who were displaced, now face a long and difficult recovery. As they focus on rebuilding, with your support, IOCC and its partners will continue to help meet the short- and long-term needs of survivors.
