Churches are often seen as cornerstones of their communities in North Carolina and elsewhere, but Swansboro United Methodist Church in Onslow County has elevated that role to a critical lifeline for disaster response and recovery.
Combining faith, preparation and strategic partnerships, the church has become a hub of support for both its local community and regions far beyond.
Since launching its mission during the devastation of Hurricane Florence in 2018, leaders say their efforts demonstrate how faith-based leadership can help mobilize resources and rebuild lives.
Layne Harpine, D.M. - Swansboro's director of community life - said the church continues to rise to meet these challenges.
"It could be the immediate response of people that are certified to get out there and do assessments in homes, in communities," said Harpine, "whether it's putting tarps on roofs, whether it's providing shelters, food, and support, clothing."
Swansboro UMC's Disaster Recovery Center operated for 18 months after Hurricane Florence, staffed by a team managing everything from construction to casework. Harpine said these efforts not only provided immediate relief, but also laid the groundwork for longer-term recovery in the region.
Harpine said the church has also become a hub for disaster training, partnering with United Methodist organizations and local agencies to equip volunteers.
He said this ensures teams are ready to respond when disasters strike.
"The Emergency Response Training Certification gives you a badge that you can go out and be the first people out and about doing these assessments, doing responses and then getting people to plug in," said Harpine. "We just didn't do it for ourselves. Through partnerships, Swansboro United Methodist Church should be the hub for that type of initiative, that type of training."
Lead Pastor Laura Thompson said disaster relief is all about teamwork, requiring collaboration and resilience, and the belief that no one should have to face the challenges of disaster recovery alone.
The church recently stepped in to help western North Carolina, sending essential items to support those recovering from devastating storms there.
"It's something that takes all of us, and you know, the proverb stands - if you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together," said Thompson. "So, we're learning that this is not something that we can do alone, and it is not something that is efficient and speedy work."
Their efforts reflect a recent Duke Endowment report, highlighting how rural Methodist churches play a critical community role by mobilizing resources, delivering essential services and acting as trusted pillars of support in times of need.
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Elected officials in New York and nationwide joined an amicus brief filed by the Public Rights Project fighting President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship. The order is being challenged on several fronts; a federal judge is blocking it.
Since birthright citizenship is a 14th Amendment right, legal experts feel there's no basis for upholding the order.
Michael Chameides, a Third Ward representative on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, said people born in the county not being considered residents would have grave impacts.
"If you take that conclusion down the line, you could imagine someone who's born here, who then has kids here, who then has grandkids here; you could have generations of people living in the community living as non-citizens," he said. "So, it's even worse than being a second-class citizen. They would be forced to live in the shadows."
Enacting this executive order could divert local and state resources from their intended purpose. Given its broad implications, it could add more red tape for the government, create barriers to health care for families, reduce some young people's ability to get jobs due to discrimination, and harm the long-term economy.
Columbia County residents' feedback to Trump's recent executive orders has been mostly negative given their impacts. Chameides noted it's exacerbating people's fear and uncertainty about the world, and added that residents have other concerns beyond Trump's "culture war" agenda.
"I think what people are seeing is, they are concerned about the rise in costs and those kinds of things," he said, "and that this sort of attack on birthright citizenship is such a distraction from the real things at hand -- which is, how do we make sure working families have the tools and opportunities they need to take care of themselves?"
Some people want the federal government to develop more affordable housing, address health care affordability challenges, and help develop a fiscally sustainable emergency response service.
Chameides said the State of New York is working to fill the gap left by Trump's policies.
"I think New York also needs to step up and make sure it's supporting rural hospitals, that we're making sure health care access is important," he said. "We've had some improvements around support for EMS systems, which is so critically important, but we need to continue to lean in."
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Sometimes small changes can have a big impact.
For the Southern Oregon town of Chiloquin, a park that used to be a parking lot is creating space for the community to connect, post-pandemic. The town's first shaded and accessible public seating area was built in part from funds from an AARP Oregon Community Challenge Grant.
Robert Cowie, a city council member in Chiloquin, said the project has improved the livability of the town.
"We see kids out there doing their homework or chit-chatting," Cowie pointed out. "I see people will walk along there and they'll stop and sit and rest for a bit before they continue their walk."
AARP Community Challenge Grants fund quick-action projects that improve public spaces, transportation, housing, digital connections and more. Applications are open now through March 5.
All projects must be consistent with AARP's mission to serve the needs of people 50 and older along with other eligibility criteria. Cowie noted the pocket park in Chiloquin provides a beautiful space for their farmers market and has inspired more positive changes for the town.
"It's a corner that everybody passes several times a day often," Cowie added. "I think it's just brought a sense of renewal to the community."
Since 2017, AARP has invested more than $20 million toward 1,700 projects, including 35 in Oregon. This year's focus includes improving pedestrian safety and expanding high-speed internet, among other things.
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Today the nation honors the "drum major for peace" - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The civil rights leader committed his life to equal treatment for jobs and education using non-violent protests.
Celebrations of King's life through plays, lectures, and other activities are happening throughout Indiana.
Jody Heaston is the state's Department of Natural Resources Indiana State Park volunteer coordinator. She suggested another option as an example of giving back to the community.
"On Martin Luther King Day, DNR properties are looking for people to be a volunteer," said Heaston. "People can come out to our properties today, walk our trails, walk around our lakes, pick up sticks and litter if they would like to. It's a day on, not a day off."
Heaston said volunteering is self-directed. She added that people can show up and hit the trails with a broom or shovel to clear away trash or sticks, and clear picnic areas and shelters of snow.
If you're interested, find the park of your choice on the IDNR website. The Indiana State Parks system manages 24 parks and eight reservoirs.
King believed community service promoted unity, addressed social issues, and uplifted neighborhoods - ways he viewed as avenues to change.
Heaston encouraged families to come out and work as a team on the MLK Jr. Day of service.
"We will find something for individuals, families, groups, civic groups, youth groups, businesses," said Heaston. "We'll find something for you to do."
Park staff accept volunteers during park hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. throughout the year.
The DNR says volunteer efforts are most productive during daylight hours, which are ideal for taking scenic photos for social media.
And if cold temperatures are stopping you, Heaston said sign up now to donate time when the weather warms up.
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