Convoy of Hope prepping disaster relief ahead of Hurricane Isaias’ landfall

Disaster relief teams from the international nonprofit Convoy of Hope started prepping relief operations off the Gulf Coast of Florida on Friday, before Hurricane Isaias’ expected landfall later in the evening. Convoy of Hope Vice President Ethan Forhetz spoke with WORLD from his Pensacola hotel room on Friday afternoon, describing the weather starting to shift and rain hitting in waves.

Forhetz and several other nonprofit leaders arrived ahead of the storm’s landfall. The larger group of relief workers and resources was scheduled to arrive Saturday afternoon, with workers setting up distribution sites with showers and laundry machines, Forhetz said. Convoy of Hope responded to 987 disasters since its founding over 20 years ago, including the 2004 Indonesia tsunami, the 2011 Joplin Tornado, and nearly every major U.S. hurricane, Forhetz said. Isaias marked the 79th disaster that Convoy responded to within the year, he added.

Forhetz cited water and electricity as the two greatest needs after a storm. Both of those utilities can take weeks to restore and disrupt lives the most, he said. Convoy of Hope gets people food, water, and toiletries, along with tarps for damaged roofs and cleaning supplies to stop mold from setting in homes, he said.

Teams often stay and help with relief work even after water and power have been restored. Convoy responders will stay and help replace drywall, furniture, and major appliances months after the storm and media attention are gone, Forhetz said. For example, Convoy workers deployed to help with the Hurricane Helene response over two years ago were still there working, Forhetz added.

Convoy of Hope used a drive-through system to distribute most supplies running from a makeshift warehouse in the affected area. About 700-900 cars will come through the distribution line in one day over the course of four-to-six hours, Forhetz said. Aside from physical needs, the team often served as spiritual counselors to people who are living the worst day of their lives, Forhetz said. A lot of people will ask why a charity from multiple states or countries came to help, and that opens the door for workers to share their faith, the vice president explained. Faith motivated Convoy of Hope’s work, and it's a great chance to tell people about the God that loves them, he added.