Serve

Thank you so much for your interest in bringing a team to help us rebuild Charlotte County after Hurricane Ian.  Please go to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA)  page and register to come to our site. After you have filled out the registration form, someone from our team will contact you to learn more about your team and find a date for your group to come in.

As a host site for long-term recovery, we are partnering with various organizations to help families in the community. Our teams will be working in Charlotte County, South Sarasota County, West Desoto County, and North Lee County. We work together with the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. We provide the housing and they provide the case managers and construction coordinators. We also work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA)  who assists with registration as well, so please have each team member go to that link and fill out the paperwork.

The type of work could involve chainsaw work, demo, insulation, drywall, mudding walls, texturing walls, painting, and other projects. Each week will provide new opportunities for helping someone feel safe in their home. Regardless of your skill level, we welcome your help. Our WPC Disaster Recovery Program Handbook does a good job of explaining things you should know before you come, what to expect when you arrive and a little about who we are. We ask you to review it before you arrive so that you understand your accommodations.

Host Site Coordinator: Wendy E. Rainey
Contact: 941-743-5335
Email: disasterrelief@wintergardenpres.org 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wintergardenpres/

Sleeping Accommodations: We are proud to be partnering with Mission on Wheels in our disaster recovery mission. They are providing us with 2 bunkhouse trailers that sleep a total of 32 people. The bunk trailers are heated and air conditioned for everyone’s comfort. These are bunk beds so at least half of the volunteers will have to be able to climb onto the top bunk. Upon request, we can sometimes host slightly larger groups with overflow into the building. (We have some cots and blow up mattresses for this purpose.) Please let us know as early as possible if you need additional or special accommodations and we will do our best to accommodate your group’s needs.

Looking for additional ways to serve? Another option for serving is to explore CERT training, or training with other groups such as the PDA National Volunteer Team or others. CERT Training is also available here in Charlotte County. 

Our bunkhouse trailers hold up to 32 persons!

Shower: Work has begun on new inside showers, with an estimated completion in mid-June, 2024. But until they are ready, we have a shower trailer available for our guests.

Bedding and Linens: Volunteers will need to provide their own bedding and bath linens (twin XL), including towels and washcloths, pillows, and season-appropriate sheets and blankets or sleeping bags. (Sleeping bags avoid the quandary of  what size sheets to bring.) We do have a limited number of back-up linens for guests who forget them, but not enough to accommodate full groups. 

Kitchen: The church kitchen is available for volunteers to prepare meals. As a part of our storm recovery, we rebuilt and expanded our kitchen. Volunteers can now prepare their own meals with industrial equipment and an ice maker. 

Lounge and Coffee Bar: There is a lounge designed specifically for mission groups to relax and recover. It has a smart TV and WiFi. 

Other Amenities: We have a variety of cooking related equipment available in the kitchen, as well as a grill for cooking out, a prayer labyrinth in the sanctuary, a park and pond nearby for walking, gardens with a fountain for relaxing or outside worship. Basically, if there’s something your group needs, ask and we either have it or can likely find a way to borrow it.