Area church gives free food, winter clothes to derecho victims on southwest side
Hundreds of residents received free food, clothing, and hygiene supplies all thanks to the volunteers with Adventist Community Services, a global church movement. It's a group of churches from Waterloo, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and as far as St. Louis attempting to provide those hardest hit in this area with some assistance as the weather begins to transition.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA — Mother of two, Zaina Emedi is near speechless Saturday afternoon as she stands holding a box of food and a bag of winter clothing.
Emedi said the words don't exist to explain her gratitude that her children get to walk away Saturday afternoon with new winter jackets.
"I don't know how to say it but we appreciate for them to come outside, think of us," Emedi explained. "Give us free food and clothes. We are really excited about that. We thank God and we thank them for thinking of us."
Her home and many others at Westdale Apartments were damaged during the August 10th derecho.
Hundreds of residents received free food, clothing, and hygiene supplies all thanks to the volunteers with Adventist Community Services, a global church movement.
It's a group of churches from Waterloo, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and as far as St. Louis attempting to provide those hardest hit in this area with some assistance as the weather begins to transition.
"We are doing the right thing," St. Louis Pastor Keith Hackle shared. "This is needed. I couldn't imagine being in that storm seeing my roof missing, my front door missing. But also knowing we are here doing a good job, blessing family, and people will have what they need.
More than 250 people were fed Saturday.
Children were not allowed to leave without new winter clothes. Plus, volunteers went door to door at the apartment complex with a full box of hygiene products.
"Even though things aren't the way they should be, that there is still hope," Covenant Seventh-Day Adventist Pastor Evenson Louis-Jeune explained. "We can still bring a smile to a person. Let them know God loves them, still cares about them, and he will bring them out of this situation from this storm."
