A stretch of Peach Orchard Road, approaching its intersection with Tubman Home Road from Gordon Highway, was lined with cars on Friday morning.
This was due to residents flocking to Destiny Worship Center (DWC), where staff from nonprofit United MegaCARE helped volunteers distribute hurricane relief packages.
MegaCARE is the philanthropic outreach organization of the Potter’s House, the Dallas-based megachurch of Bishop T.D. Jakes. Since Wednesday the charity has had staff in Augusta to aid Destiny Worship Center with off-loading and packaging truckloads of relief kits full of supplies. This was in preparation for a distribution that began on Friday.
A small crew of MegaCARE staffers, along with nearly 100 volunteers with the south Augusta church’s ministry, began coordinating the dissemination of some $250,000 in supplies. These include non-perishable foods and canned goods, toiletries, cleaning supplies and bottles of water.
The ministries gave out some 1,200 supply kits between 9 a.m. and noon, indicating a deeper well of need in the area. Traffic was still backed up after all that was left to give away was water.
“I’m willing to say the cars that we served today may not have directly been affected by Hurricane Helene, but indirectly affected by what’s going on in the economy,” said Tiffany Brinkley, community impact director with United MegaCARE. “I think that’s why we saw such a greater need than what we expected today.”
Most of the city has had power and water restored, and debris cleanup is underway in the two weeks since the storm hit. But those working the distribution saw the amount of people who came to receive supply kits as a reminder that many in the area are still struggling.
“This is happening at the right time,” said Ashley Avila, executive administrator with DWC Ministries, noting that those trying to help don’t always know a person’s specific need, or situation. “Even though as a city we’re coming up, as an individual, some people are still struggling. So, we want to make sure that we can support those families.”
DWC Pastor Sammy James reiterated this sentiment, lauding the host of volunteers who came to the church to work alongside the MegaCARE team. He referred to the collaboration as an example of “the village concept.”
“Because it takes a village to see if we’re going to get through this thing. It’s going to take us all to get through it,” said James. “Just because you got through it today, don’t mean I’m through it… You don’t know it because you got your water back home, you got your stuff, and you think everybody’s where you are. So the goal is, basically, how can we help God’s people? Just do a little bit. And if everybody in the village does something, it’s going to make it better.”
MegaCARE’s next stop was Columbia, S.C., to deliver and disseminate more truckloads of disaster relief supplies.
Destiny Worship Center is located at 2325 Peach Orchard Road.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
