Hundreds of Volunteers to Repair Hurricane-Damaged Homes Before Christmas
Hundreds of volunteers will join forces to repair homes in the Gulf Coast region before the arrival of Christmas.
Hundreds of volunteers will join forces to repair homes in the Gulf Coast region before the arrival of Christmas.
On Dec. 10-18, five hundred contractors, builders, remodelers, painters and volunteer assistant will repair Hurricane Katrina damaged homes in Gulfport, Miss. The project, called “8 Days of Hope,” was initiated by Steve Tybor Jr and his son Steve Tybor III.
“It broke my heart, seeing all the damage on the Coast,” said the younger Tybor to AgapePress. “I wanted to go down there and physically make a difference. I wanted to go down and encourage people. I wanted to smile, to love them.”
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“8 Days of Hope” is a “hands-on” building project that will repair damaged homes rather than rebuild them. The project will repair damaged drywall and pull up carpet among other tasks.
Tybor III is vice president of sales for Jancor, Inc, a company that owns four building material manufacturers with two based in Mississippi. Similarly, Tybor Jr. also works in a building material company called Niagara Aluminum as a sales manager.
The father and son team’s goal is not only to simply repair the homes in Gulfport, but ultimately to bring hope into the region.
"The goal is to bring hope." said Tybor III to AgapePress as he explains that members from local churches and ministries will join in the repair efforts or have donated funds towards this project.
Tybor III explained that Gulfport was chosen among the affected cities because it was smaller, had less national attention and would benefit the greatest from the help. “8 Days of Hope” will direct its aid to the neediest people who at that time have not received help yet.
Currently, Tybor III says there are 100 volunteers committed to this project including two buses of Amish volunteers from Ohio. Steve is urging construction professionals to join the efforts. He hopes that professional carpenters, remodelers, contractors and painters will volunteer and lead the volunteers without experience in repairing homes.
The project, scheduled to end on Dec. 18, is exactly a week before Christmas. A Buffalo, N.Y. radio station has donated a trailer full of new toys for the children in the area.
"We're going to ask women's ministries, Scout troops and churches to wrap these toys," Tybor III said to AgapePress. "The last day in Gulfport, we're going to put up Christmas trees in the homes we've worked on, put toys under the trees and leave Bibles."
"It's amazing how God's people showed up at the right time at the right place and with the right stuff," said Frank Scott, founder and president of New Creation Ministries in Mississippi, recalling the time he's already spent in the area.
"These are two men of God who go the extra mile to demonstrate the love of Christ," said Kevin Mangum, associate pastor at First Evangelical Church. "And they're men who do well at whatever they undertake. I'm sure 8 Days of Hope will be a powerful ministry."
