Sanford church opens floodgates of help for Flint
Pastor Jace Cox says the need for clean water in Flint, Mich., has opened a floodgate of help from here in North Carolina.
"This morning my brother and I went to Durham, and we picked up 800 bottles of water and 2,000 baby wipes from one family that donated."
For now, a back room at the Liberty Praise Center on Westover Drive in Sanford is a temporary warehouse. It's filling fast. Cox says the need is so great, and immediate.
Residents in Flint have been warned not to drink or use water from their taps.
Cox says he and other pastors in Chatham, Lee and Harnett counties have teamed with churches in Flint to make sure children and families have clean water to drink and cook with; and wipes to clean. They are collecting the donations till mid-February, then trucking it all to Michigan. Cox hopes the help quenches some of the residents' thirst and despair.
"I really hope that they will be reminded and reassured that they are not alone," Cox said. "We are all in the same family, and woe until us it could be us."
He says this is a growing community-wide effort, with donations promised from several schools, and businesses. He hopes to fill and deliver several tractor-trailer loads of the bottled water and wipes.
He reminds us it's all about helping our fellow man.
"I think this will remind people outside that the church is more than just within four walls. But we are also going outside our walls," Cox said,
The Liberty Praise Center is at 1512 Westover Drive, Sanford. Church members will be collecting water and donations Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, and then Sunday during worship services.
Cox says information about the drive is on the church's Facebook page.
"HEART OF NC HELPING FLINT" Drop-off Sites
Churches
(Sundays from 9:45am until 12:30pm)
SANFORD
Liberty Praise Center
St. Mark UCOG
Mt. Carmel
Lion of Judah
Vineyard Ministries
Try Jesus Ministries
Taylor Chapel Baptist
Christian Provision Ministries
NEW HILL
Prince Chapel CME
LILLINGTON
Norrington AMEZ
GOLDSTON
Mt. Herman AMEZ
Roberts Chapel Baptist
GULF
Macedonia AMEZ
BEAR CREEK
Union Grove AMEZ
SILER CITY
Kingdom Culture Ministries
Jordan Grove AMEZ
Gees Grove AMEZ
New Beginnings
Evans Chapel AMEZ
PITTSBORO
St. Matthews AMEZ
BUSINESSES
(Monday through Friday)
EZ Cuts Barbershop of Sanford (7:00am until 6:00pm)
Raleigh Winwater 1928 East Williams Street Apex (8:00am until 3:30pm)
Mary H. Finch Total Care, Inc. 124 B South Main Street, Broadway (8:00am until 5:00pm)
Siler City Community Health Center (8:00am until 5:00pm)
SCHOOLS
(For Students and Employees of these Schools, Monday-Friday 8:00am until 2:30pm)
Overhills High School PE Department
Northwood High School's My Brother's Keeper
Deep River Elementary 5th Grade Classes
