Local church rebuilding homes for free, part of Hurricane Helene and Milton efforts
HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — A Hopewell church is continuing its Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts by rebuilding several homes in North Carolina destroyed by the hurricanes — for free. Beacon Hills pastor Michael Moore and his team previously went to Florida for eight days to help residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Homeowner Valerie Ehlinger said images of the natural disasters destroying her home still play in her mind. “My oldest son and I had to climb up to the roof and we were up on the roof for hours,” Ehlinger said. “It flooded our vehicles. There were sheds floating above my truck. We literally left the house with the clothes on our back.” (Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger) Ehlinger said she’s also juggling the financial strain of paying her mortgage and rent for her current home, while taking care of her three kids. “It's hard on everybody in this area for sure, because it just still looks very apocalyptic,” Ehlinger said. Moore’s team has been on the ground since October helping remodel Ehlinger’s home with thousands of dollars worth of materials and labor. “She just sat there and just cried,” Moore said when he told Ehlinger he’d help rebuild her home. “She is so thankful she didn't know what she deserved to get this much help.” While it can’t replace everything she's lost, Ehlinger said her gratitude for those pitching in with relief efforts is greatly appreciated. “People like him coming and continuing to show up at least gives us a little bit of hope for getting back to a fraction of where we were,” Ehlinger said. Moore said he and his crew have given nearly $10,000 to other families in Ehlinger’s neighborhood and plan on finishing her home by the end of March. “The job is not finished, there are still people that don't have homes,” Moore said. “We're not done until everyone gets help.” If you or someone you know needs Beacon Hill’s assistance with hurricane relief, you can contact them through their website.
VENN
HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — A Hopewell church is continuing its Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts by rebuilding several homes in North Carolina destroyed by the hurricanes — for free.
Beacon Hills pastor Michael Moore and his team previously went to Florida for eight days to help residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Homeowner Valerie Ehlinger said images of the natural disasters destroying her home still play in her mind.
“My oldest son and I had to climb up to the roof and we were up on the roof for hours,” Ehlinger said. “It flooded our vehicles. There were sheds floating above my truck. We literally left the house with the clothes on our back.”
(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)
(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)
(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)
(Photo courtesy: Valerie Ehlinger)
Ehlinger said she’s also juggling the financial strain of paying her mortgage and rent for her current home, while taking care of her three kids.
“It's hard on everybody in this area for sure, because it just still looks very apocalyptic,” Ehlinger said.
Moore’s team has been on the ground since October helping remodel Ehlinger’s home with thousands of dollars worth of materials and labor.
“She just sat there and just cried,” Moore said when he told Ehlinger he’d help rebuild her home. “She is so thankful she didn't know what she deserved to get this much help.”
While it can’t replace everything she's lost, Ehlinger said her gratitude for those pitching in with relief efforts is greatly appreciated.
“People like him coming and continuing to show up at least gives us a little bit of hope for getting back to a fraction of where we were,” Ehlinger said.
Moore said he and his crew have given nearly $10,000 to other families in Ehlinger’s neighborhood and plan on finishing her home by the end of March.
“The job is not finished, there are still people that don't have homes,” Moore said. “We're not done until everyone gets help.”
If you or someone you know needs Beacon Hill’s assistance with hurricane relief, you can contact them through their website.
