DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) – While Hurricane Helene is a memory many are trying to forget, evidence of the storm’s impact is still littered in some South Georgia communities.

In Coffee County, hundreds of neighbors are still without power.

Right now, if you drive through the neighborhoods of Coffee County, you can see that the holes in the houses are now covered with blue tarps and piles of cut trees lined up along the roads. The community still has a long way to go.

“The damage was horrendous, there is nothing … there are no words to describe the damage and devastation that we saw in our community,” said Amy Rogers, volunteer and local pastor.

That devastation isn’t stopping people from putting boots on the ground. Local church leaders are joining together to support anyone in need through an organization called Hope for Coffee County.

Michael Newton, president of the Coffee County Hope Initiative, said they surveyed about 29 percent of homes and found 300 people were still in the dark.

“Knowing that we didn’t have communications, we didn’t have a lot of things, but what we do know is that we have God,” Newton said. “And as long as we use the initiative of hope and what God is doing with us today, it spreads across the spectrum. No matter what breed, what color, size, whatever; it’s all about us just working together as a community.”

Once the organization finishes the assessments, it plans to bring funding from Kentucky resources to help rebuild the homes.

“Love and kindness attract. So I just want to make sure we know that we need to treat our neighbors with love and kindness,” said Mickeyla Clark, Hope County Coffee Initiative Facilitator.

The Hope Initiative will host a community meeting on November 2nd at noon at Coffee High School. Several topics will be discussed, including building a long-term recovery team.

The organization is also still asking anyone who needs help to fill out digital forms. The deadline for completing the forms is November 1. Click Here to access the evaluation form.

The organization also helps neighbors in Nichols and Ambrose. Evaluation forms can be submitted to the following locations:

• Ambrose City Hall, 196 Elm St. West
• Nicholls City Hall, 707 Van Street Highway
• Douglas City Hall, 320 South Madison Avenue

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