ways you can help.

we are still reeling from monday's tornado and the complete devastation just a few miles away from us. much of our spare time and energy this week has gone into figuring out how we as individuals and we as a church can help our neighbors to the north. most needs are very immediate at this point, changing daily, even hourly, but for now, here are a few ways you can help...

donate money & materials.
giving money may seemingly be the least fun way to help, but let's be honest, it can often be the most effective. especially in the early days, like right now, dollars are desperately needed.

our church has set up a disaster relief fund. we'd be honored for you to give to it and allow us to steward your resources. we're committed to serving moore for the long haul however we can, but a few of the specific needs we'll be focused on include:

• andrew burkhart and his family, who lost their house and everything they own. andrew is the pastor of love & justice, an acts 29 church in moore, and serves on our board of advisors (functions as an elder board until we have one in place).
• love & justice, as they serve the people and needs in their neighborhood. they also have a relief fund set up that you can give to here. 
• chick-fil-a of moore, as they serve their community and team members in need. a couple at our church owns this chick-fil-a and they've already done a fantastic job of assessing the needs of their team members and serving up their delicious chicken to volunteers and families in moore.

if you're interested in donating materials (like holding a drive or collecting items and shipping them this way), let me know and we'll coordinate with the right people. the materials most frequently requested are baby items (formula, toddler food, diapers, wipes), medical/hygiene items (gauze, bandages, neosporin, shampoo, soap), and work items (gloves, trash bags, sunscreen, bug spray, duct tape, flashlights, tarps). journey church is the main drop-off/distribution site in norman, and they're great at keeping their list updated with the most immediate needs, so you might check there as well.

volunteer.
if you're interested in rolling your sleeves up and volunteering in moore (whether you're local or coming in from out of town), i would highly recommend connecting with @servemooreok. it's being led by frontline church in okc and functioning as the hub of several churches in the area (including ours!) coming together to serve moore. their website is continuously updated with needs. be sure to check it out!

also, if you and some friends need a place to stay, let us know! if you have a team coming, check with fbc norman. they're hosting teams in their family life center.

buy a t-shirt.
this is the most fun and easiest way to help. there are tons of shirts being made right now, so here are my three favorite. ALL of the proceeds from these t-shirt sales will be donated to relief efforts. you can never have too many t-shirts, so just go ahead and add one of these to your collection!

this shirt is being sold by touies design, a small business run by one of my friends from syrup. (fun fact: she designed our christmas card!) super cute shirt. buy yours here!

this shirt is from shopgood, a fun little local business in the heart of okc. the best part about their store is that every single item is socially responsible, fairly traded, and connected to a local or international community development project. so great, right?! get their shirt here!

a friend's coworker at old hat designed this shirt. it comes in several different color combinations, so pick your favorite and buy one here!

//

again, thank you to everyone who has been checking on us and asking how to help. please continue to pray for those affected by the storm and for those volunteering in the recovery!

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." -- psalm 46.1