Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Is your organization the same as Southern Baptist Disaster Relief?
A: We are part of that organization. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is actually made up of us and 40 other organizations like ours that represent various geographical areas and the Baptist conventions there which cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention. Often referred to by the name of a state, several are made up of multiple states such as Northwest Baptist Disaster Relief which represents WA, OR, and parts of ID.
Q: What’s up with the blue and yellow used on all of your stuff?
A: The colors originated from our boys and men’s ministries which long have used blue as symbolic of loyalty, and gold (not yellow, which can have a bit of a negative connotation) stands for the worth of each person. We are to strive to be loyal to each other and to our God, just as God is always loyal to us by never leaving and never forsaking us. He is loyal to keep his many and great promises to us. Each volunteer, each leader, each victim, each survivor is thought of highly enough by God that he sent his only son Jesus to pay (with his own life no less!) for our ransom from our own sin.
Q: How many volunteers do you have, and do you need more?
A: Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is one of the three largest mobilizers of trained disaster relief volunteers in the United States, along with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. Currently there are upwards of 80,000 volunteers in the entire SBDR team, comprised of NWBDR and the other “state convention” DR teams. Yes, we always need more. Life changes and some volunteers always will need to be replaced. Natural disasters are on a rise in unprecedented ways for recent history. Not all volunteers are always able to be deployed due to health issues of their own, lack of personal funds to go, family and work obligations, etc.
Q: What percentage of my gift will go to administrative costs?
A: When you give to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, 100 percent of what you give goes directly to disaster relief efforts, so your donation goes further. We do not pay salaries or overhead from those funds.*
Q: What percentage goes directly to the victims?
A: We do not give victims money, but provide in-kind relief to victims in areas affected by disaster—including feeding units, shower and laundry units, mud-out and chainsaw units. Victims receive these services through trained disaster relief volunteers. Were it not for the presence of these volunteers and the fuel and phone costs that allow them to be present, the victims would not receive these crucial services.*
* These answers and other Q&A’s can be found at www.namb.net/disaster-relief-donations/
Northwest Baptist Disaster Relief 