On January 26, 2023, Florida Conference Adventist Community Services received the Excellence in Volunteerism Award from Volunteer Florida.Â
The Volunteer Florida Foundation provides funds “to administer high-impact national service programs and promote volunteerism throughout the state while managing the Florida Disaster Fund – Florida’s official fund to assist communities with disaster response and recovery.”Â
Florida Conference ACS was moved to action on the southwest coast after hurricane Ian hit on September 2022. Two warehouses were organized, in Fort Myers and Coral Springs, to receive goods from different organizations across the country. Volunteers from both Florida Conference and Southeastern Conference came together to meet the needs of the survivors right after the hurricane.
Over the past three months, ACS has moved more than 1.5 million pieces of goods for survivors. Through our partnership with Volunteer Florida and the Federal and State government, ACS has been able to meet survivors’ needs daily. ACS volunteers have connected with a wide variety of organizations that are on the ground actively helping those still trying to recover.
The Fort Myers warehouse is still operating, multiple months after the initial hurricane, through the work of our dedicated ACS volunteers. ACS relies on our volunteers, without whom it would not have been possible to provide essential aid so quickly after the hurricane hit. God has blessed Adventist Community Services!
In October, leaders from all over the state of Florida came together at the Pompano Beach Seventh-day Adventist Church to hone and learn new skills, which they took back to their churches to expand their community service ministries.
The yearly training will continue at the Port Charlotte Seventh-day Adventist Church on August 4-6, 2023. To be added to our mailing list for more information on future training and volunteer opportunities, please email janeth.montenegro@floridaconference.com.Â