Be “THE” Neighbor The Christian Community’s Response to Hurricane Ian

The Joy FM   

October 14, 2022

This past Monday proved to be a significant response to Ian from the Christian community. The Joy FM, (WJIS 88.1 FM) a locally based radio ministry here in Manatee County, held a special on-air event “HOPE AFTER THE HURRICANE”. They filled the day with on-air guest and giving. Some of the special guest that showed up via video were Big Daddy Weave, Chris Tomlin, Steven Curtis Chapman, for King and Country and Mac Powell. WJIS has a wide footprint that goes well beyond Manatee county. The family of Florida stations reaches north to Tallahassee, over to Jacksonville, down to Fort Myers, and over to Palm Beach Gardens in the southeast. Their network of stations covers all Florida counties in-between. This “powerful outreach” is not just a technical term referring to the various towers they transmit from. (They lost power to two transmitters during the storm) Powerful outreach also refers to the sheer volume of area and audience they cover. 

Michelle Tellone, an on-air host evenings and Sunday mornings for Warm Up for Worship, reported that “We (The Joy FM)… partnering with Convoy of Hope and our joy FM listening family raised over $350,000 yesterday morning. I also did a great interview with Samaritans Purse who are getting volunteers from the community to go help serve, and I just got off the phone with Reuben Beachy who is working with the Mennonites who are sending crews into Arcadia to remove trees and debris and help clean up.”

As of Friday, the event had raised over $380,000 dollars. Combining local organizations and national ministries is a hallmark of the Joy FM.  They are a loud and wide voice calling the Christian community together. Convoy of Hope is a U.S. based ministry offering strategic help and hope to communities affected by disasters, both nationally and internationally. Convoy of Hope is experienced and committed to short term and long-term disaster response.

Ian devastated so much of our Florida landscape and lives and it is compelling to see the Christian community step up to help their neighbors. We become THE Neighbor when we reach out and provide spiritual and physical help in a time of need.  

You can find more information about the “HOPE AFTER THE HURRICANE” event here.                

https://florida.thejoyfm.com/featured/hope-after-the-hurricane/

Convoy Of Hope can be found here  https://convoyofhope.org/initiatives/disaster-services/

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.