DHMM Students Partner with Operation Blessing Hurricane Relief

Students from Lee's Disaster and Healthcare Mission Management (DHMM) program and Emergency Response Club recently traveled to Valdosta, Georgia, to partner with Operation Blessing in a disaster response from Hurricane Helene.

This trip was led by Jake Fast, director of the DHMM program and assistant professor of science in emergency management, and Matthew Adams, lecturer of nursing.

"I am so incredibly proud of these students who used their fall break to do strenuous and exhausting work for others," said Fast. "They truly represented Christ's love through their efforts and were able to show compassion and kindness when it was needed most."

Four senior DHMM majors, accompanied by Fast, traveled to Valdosta and started work with Operation Blessing on Monday, Oct. 7, and four underclassmen connected to the DHMM Emergency Response Club, accompanied by Adams, joined them on Thursday, Oct. 10. Both groups worked with Operation Blessing through Saturday, Oct. 12.

The student volunteers included Connor Brown, Aubrey Case, Emma Folsom, Ella Joyce, Grace LeMoine, Sarah Livingston, Logan Oaks, and Emmalee Rau. They spent the week helping with debris cleanup and chainsawing fallen trees that had caused damage to nearly every property where they were working.

Anchor Faith Church Valdosta hosted the group during their week stay in Valdosta.

"It was an absolute privilege to get to serve in Valdosta for the Hurricane Helene response," said Sarah Livingston, DHMM Club president and a participant on the trip. "Having the opportunity to practice what we study with such an incredible team, including Operation Blessing and the Anchor Faith Church staff, made this trip extra special and dear to my heart. I greatly appreciate this experience and all that I learned from it, including how to use a chainsaw!"

The group's connection to Operation Blessing was initiated through Michaela Morris Pope, a Lee alum who graduated from the DHMM program in December 2021 and is now the disaster case coordinator for Operation Blessing.

"After Hurricane Helene, Operation Blessing and its volunteers hit the ground running, providing support through hot meals, debris removal, tarping, and chainsaw services," said Pope. "It was such an honor to partner with the students from Lee's DHMM program as a former DHMM student myself. My time in the program not only prepared me to confidently work in our emergency operations center, but also on the ground right in the middle of the chaos of disaster response."

Operation Blessing is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization dedicated to demonstrating God's love by alleviating human suffering. For 40 years, through compassionate, efficient, and locally focused programs, Operation Blessing has provided hunger relief, medical care, clean water, and disaster relief to millions around the world.

Lee University's DHMM program prepares students to become leaders in the field of disaster preparation and response and healthcare missions. While in the program, students will receive numerous certifications and skills-based training, as well as experiential opportunities in various settings.

For more information about Operation Blessing, visit ob.org/.

For more information about the DHMM program or club, visit leeu/dhmm/.