LOS ANGELES — California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) began providing meals at an area disaster relief hub Wednesday, Jan. 15, and deployed two chaplain teams to provide spiritual support to survivors of the fires.

“I am profoundly grateful for those who have generously donated to the California Southern Baptist Convention’s (CSBC) Disaster Relief,” said Kendrick Neal, SBDR director for the CSBC, “and incredibly proud of our volunteers who responded swiftly to prepare and deploy our mobile kitchen as well as our chaplains who deployed within two hours.”

The meals are being served at a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Center (DRC) located at the UCLA Research Park, and The Church on Pearl in Santa Monica is hosting the California SBDR cooking team. They are preparing an estimated 300 meals a day for those leading the charge to fight the fires, as well as other responders and survivors.

“Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, we are now actively serving those in need at the invitation of the Emergency Network of Los Angeles’s vice president, who is coordinating food preparation and distribution for those impacted by the fires in Los Angeles,” Neal said.

A group of volunteers arrived at the CSBC’s offices in Fresno and put together crisis response buckets for SBDR to distribute to survivors. Send Relief provided funding for the buckets.

One couple, Penny and Ray Young, came after their pastor at Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Fresno issued a call to action.

“We are grateful to have an outlet to contribute our time and support in times of tragedy,” the Youngs said.

Another volunteer, Marie Staggs, arrived to help with a heart to serve first responders. Her husband and brother are both firefighters, and her brother was one of the first to get the call to go to Los Angeles.

“We woke up and heard about the fires, and then my brother was just off and gone, already headed down there to help,” said Staggs.

More SBDR volunteers from California and neighboring states are expected to be able to serve once first responders have contained the fires and deemed the area safe.

Until then, local officials have urged volunteers not to self-deploy to the disaster areas and to make donations through reputable disaster relief organizations on the ground who know the specific needs.

“We are thankful for our (Southern Baptist Convention) SBC family of churches and leaders who have responded to the needs that have arisen from the Los Angeles fires,” said CSBC executive director Pete Ramirez. “Disaster Relief volunteers from California and around the nation have been at the ready to serve those affected since day one. Likewise, CSBC churches in and near the affected areas have valiantly stepped up to provide spiritual care and practical needs for the many impacted by the devastation. Thank you to all our SBC family who have given generously to help those who are on the frontlines. May God bless your generosity.”

Send Relief has been providing financial resources to support California’s SBDR response and shipped Tyvek suits, N95 masks and gloves to use when fire cleanup begins. 

“We at Send Relief have been honored to support the work of SBDR and California Baptists as they respond to the historic fires in Los Angeles,” said Coy Webb, Send Relief’s crisis response director. “We look forward to resourcing our SBDR partners as more and more volunteers are able to engage survivors and help the community heal.”

For Neal, the cooperative efforts on display highlighted the best aspects of what it means to be part of the SBC.

“This effort is a powerful testament to the spirit of Southern Baptists and the heart of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief: to pray, give and go in times of crisis,” said Neal. “Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we serve. Together, we are making a difference for the Kingdom.”

Learn more about supporting the CSBC’s disaster relief efforts here. Learn more about Send Relief’s efforts to support the response in California here.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board.)