OBI delivered 40,000 pounds of food, water, and other relief items to Gilbert, West Virginia. The supplies will serve six counties affected by the flooding.

GILBERT, West Virginia - A crowd of grateful residents erupted in applause as Operation Blessing’s Hunger Strike Force truck pulled into this small town, where flooding has forced hundreds of residents out of their homes.

“Their faces lit up as the doors to the trailer swung open and they saw the contents inside,” said Chris Williams, disaster relief specialist with Operation Blessing.

Loaded with nearly 40,000 pounds of food, bottled water, diapers and other hygiene products, the HSF truck brought welcome relief to these families, many of whom had fled in the middle of the night as their homes were engulfed by rising river waters.

The flooding has affected close to 3,000 homes in West Virginia, with the damage stretching throughout six counties.

OBI’s disaster relief team arrived in Gilbert within hours of a state of emergency being declared.

After the team connected with local emergency management and city officials and assessed what help was needed, the HSF truck was loaded with relief supplies and dispatched to the area.

Sgt. Kevin Fraley of the National Guard, who oversaw the distribution of relief supplies in Gilbert, said,” We were in need and running low on everything and Operation Blessing came and met every last one of those needs and then some.”

The flooding has affected close to 3,000 homes. Many families fled in the middle of the night as their homes were engulfed by rising river waters.

The supplies that were unloaded at the distribution center in Gilbert will not only serve that community, but all of the counties affected by the flooding.

Relief coordinators also distributed over 300 plastic totes so families could salvage personal belongings.

One woman who received aid mentioned she was a longtime supporter of OBI.

“It is awesome to see first-hand where my support is going!” she said. “We are so grateful for Operation Blessing’s help.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

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