A Solemn Ride to Spalding County

It was a quite, solemn ride to Spalding County just a couple days after the storms to help with the tornado recovery, but it just looked like another ordinary Saturday ride in the country. Having stopped and got my biscuit and coffee, I noticed the boats behind the trucks presumably headed to the lake, the bicycles on the carrier off for a spin, folks setting up their yard sales and others getting ready @ the local flea market. Everybody seemed busy going somewhere, doing something. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

I remember thinking if all these folks even REALLY knew what kind of damage there was just down the road from where they were. I mean we see the snippets and hear the sound-bites on TV and we’re wowed or whatever but did these folks REALLY understand? Did they REALLY know what needs there were just down the road? I even thought did they even care? Certainly if they knew they would do something. Right?

The first set of instructions Millard Fuller ever gave me to share with my friends and colleges of how they can help was these three things:

1. Help spread the word of The Fuller Center
2. Help raise donations
3. Help start other Fuller Centers.

I have learned in the last four years it definitely all begins with spreading the word.

So how do we get out the word about folks like Bobby & Anita Simpson whose home was severely damaged during the storms and need help rebuilding because their insurance coverage lapsed? Oops!! But now what? These working folks still need their home rebuilt. It’s probably going to take $4K or better to purchase the needed materials and some volunteers. Bobby & Anita are going to have get out there with us and rebuild their home along with the volunteers and they’re being asked to donate back what was donated to them into The Greater Blessing Box revolving fund that will help another family in the future in their time of need.

I’m sure we haven’t met who else we’re supposed to help yet but we’ll be led there accordingly. How will those folks like Bobby & Anita know there is help available? How will those folks who are capable of helping and most likely willing to help if only they knew, how can we reach them? How can you help? What about making and delivering sack lunches for the construction volunteers? What about blogging or posting info on FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, ect? What about come shoot pictures and/or video and put it up on YouTube with all the links? Do some interviews? Ask some questions. What about reaching out to all your media contacts and ask them to help spread the good word?What about raising donations? Doing the reconstruction? Scouting for other needy families and victims of the tornados? What about contacting local churches, sharing what we’re doing and invite them to join us? Civic Groups? Lumber Yards? Paint Stores?

We plan on starting the reconstruction process on Bobby & Anita’s home May 14^th, we don’t have all the details ironed out yet but we will be updating on all our sources as we have new information. Their home is located @ 5029 Old Atlanta Road, Hampton GA. This effort is being channeled through The Henry County Fuller Center for Housing, with The Atlanta Fuller Center is redirecting its energy in collaboration for a time.I’m asking you for your help, find where you fit in, come be involved but just for a day, look in the eyes of the needy, hear their plight, stand where they are, let your heart lead you.

Mark Galey is the President of the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta, a faith-driven, Christ-centered, non-profit organization that promotes collaborative partnerships with individuals, organizations, corporations and religious groups of all faiths in an unrelenting quest to provide adequate shelter for all people in need.