Who coordinates the work in Mississippi?

Douglasville home folks
build homes in Mississippi

Douglasville (GA) natives and New Covenant UMC members Dee and Jack Boreing of Side-by-side Ministries are site coordinators in charge of housing recovery at Camp Hope in Mississippi.

In August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with terrifying force. Less than a month later, Hurricane Rita cut a swath over much of the same landscape. Thousands evacuated, some never to return to their homes. For those who stayed, it’s been a long journey back into livable homes and the work still goes on.

The Boreings sold their home and their business, hooked up a fifth-wheel trailer and moved to the coast over three years ago. They have been there ever since receiving and coordinating volunteers.

As site coordinators for Camp Hope in Vancleave, north of Biloxi, Mississippi, the Boreings work six days a week, organizing thousands of volunteers for more than three years, determined to help the people of the Gulf Coast get back home. Camp Hope is a division of the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

To those who ask, “How do I get started?”, Dee Boreing replies:

“Just get off the fence and do it! If you sit around waiting for strength and energy, you will never get it. We get our strength from the Lord on a day-to-day, sometimes a minute-to-minute, basis.”