When disaster strikes, we are dedicated more than ever to bringing lifesaving assistance to those who need it the most. To date, we have been able to donate well over $7.5 million to disaster relief efforts worldwide and in 2008, our efforts placed us at the scene of several major occurrences…

Hurricane Relief
In what has been one of the most active hurricane seasons to date, several storms have made landfall in the United States and in the Caribbean, leaving a trail of destruction and injuring thousands along the Gulf Coast.
 
In response to these disasters, Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions has joined with organizations like Healing Place Church, Convoy of Hope, Service International, and Love a Child, Inc. to provide critical help and hope for those in Texas, Louisiana, Cuba and Haiti. We have provided cleanup help, relief shelters and free medical care, along with more than 1 million pounds of food, water, ice and other vital necessities to the families affected by these storms.

China Earthquake
On Monday, May 12, 2008, China was rocked by an earthquake registering 7.9 on the Richter scale, which toppled thousands of schools, apartments and other buildings, leaving tens of thousands buried underneath the rubble.

The disaster took the lives of more than 69,000 people, and aftershocks, mudslides and the outbreak of infectious diseases left the country full of devastation and in desperate need of clean water, food and medical attention.

In response, Hand of Hope teamed up with Target Ministries in China to bring immediate relief to earthquake victims in the Sichuan province. A team of disaster relief specialists were sent to train volunteers who are a part of house churches in the area, and led those volunteers into the disaster areas. The teams brought vital necessities like water, provided temporary shelters and led search and rescue missions throughout the area.

Myanmar Cyclone
The catastrophic tropical cyclone Nargis that battered Myanmar on May 3, 2008, killed nearly 140,000 people. Many people perished in a 12-foot tidal wave, and over 2 million people were reported homeless. Power was lost, roads were blocked and drinking water was contaminated.

Although it was extremely difficult to get relief to the people of Myanmar, Hand of Hope began working diligently to secure whatever supplies were necessary to meet the greatest needs. We also worked with an agency, In His Image, to dispatch medical teams to treat victims and train Burmese doctors. In addition, we provided families with relief packages containing food, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, candles and matches.

Sending Help Around the World
In recent years, Joyce Meyer Ministries has provided lifesaving assistance to multiplied thousands all around the world. In the U.S. Midwest, when flooding damaged homes and threatened people’s lives earlier this year, we partnered with Service International to bring help and hope to so many of those affected—clearing debris, restoring and rebuilding homes, and offering critical spiritual support. And in 2007, we joined with relief organizations to help people clean up their homes and rebuild their lives after the California wildfires…construct temporary homes when residents lost everything after one of Peru’s most devastating earthquakes…and help a town pick up the pieces after a destructive tornado hit Kansas. And these are just a few of the many efforts we have been able to conduct through the incredible support of our friends and partners.

Hurricane Katrina Relief
This past year we also continued helping victims of Hurricane Katrina restore and rebuild their homes all along the U.S. Gulf Coast. To date, we have repaired or rebuilt more than 450 homes, donating more than $3 million.