Community members are offering a helping hand after storm

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- After the storm, the real work begins. Families affected by Tuesday night’s tornado are now in the clean-up stage. Families are shuffling through years of precious memories trying to salvage anything they can.

Thanks to the help of some community volunteers, they won’t have to do it alone.

Youth Pastor David Dees said this is not his first disaster relief effort, and it comes easy to help others because it’s his calling.

“This just shows the community that they are not alone and when people go through tough times like this it is what we are called to do, we are called to lock arms together with different people and different churches and areas and do the work that we have been called to do,” said Dees.

Dees has had experience helping families nationwide however this time help was needed close to home.

“This relationship here at this house started with a ministry called Fathers in the Field. It is a nationwide ministry that comes alongside widows and orphans, especially the boys, and helps them through growing up and becoming a man and helping them through tough times,” said Dees.

And in these tough times, Dees sees that people need more than material items.

“It’s good for us to show up and it helps us to share some hope with them and some peace that they need during this time, especially during the Christmas season,” said Dees.

Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said that the Steens area has had an influx of people wanting to give food and their time. And the Sherriff’s Office has created a centralized location for people to do so.

“We have had a lot of requests from the public wanting to know where volunteers can check in, and this is it this is our command center, and that’s what we are asking the public to do. If they want to volunteer and come out and help the clean up to check in with us first and that way, we will assign them to the road department and put them where they need to be,” said Hawkins.

If you are looking for ways to volunteer, the Lowndes County Sherriff’s Department has a command center located on Caledonia Steens Rd and they will direct you.

If you are looking to give a monetary donation to disaster relief click here.

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