September 11th is a day our country will forever remember. To recognize the day in our small way, a group of volunteers gathered for a day of service. Wharton Wesley UMC graciously hosted us for a day of service.
EPA Disaster Recovery partnered with SEPA VOAD (Southeastern PA Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) to respond to families impacted by the July 11th microbursts in Philadelphia. Partners from AmeriCorps ArtistYear, Lutheran Disaster Response and the Southern Baptist Convention – Disaster Relief came together to clean out basements of wet damaged belongings, call families who have expressed need for additional support services, assemble hygiene kits, and organize the disaster trailer.
Nearly 50 volunteers and leaders mobilized to provide resources to families still struggling to move forward. One AmeriCorps volunteer who made calls to those impacted commented, “I felt like the woman I talked to thought she was forgotten. It felt good to bring her family some hope.” Dave, the site leader from Southern Baptists marveled at the work ethic of the young volunteers, “These young people are so incredible. They just didn’t stop working.”
The day of service was the culmination of weeks of work by Southern Baptists and Team Rubicon to prepare these properties, making it more than just a single day of feeling good about doing good. Their teams have been completing basement cleanouts and removing downed trees and branches across West and South Philly. And the work is not yet finished. SEPA VOAD, along with the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, are working together to determine next steps.
The VOAD promotes cooperation, collaboration, cooperation, and communication to foster more effective delivery of service to communities affected by disaster. September 11, 2026, was the perfect example of that service in action. If you would like to learn more about how to connect with VOAD or respond when disaster strikes, please reach out to Denise Shelton, our volunteer Disaster Response Coordinator, at dshelton@epagnj.org