Members of Heritage United Methodist Church presented a $10,000 check to R3SM to continue the mission of Recovery, Rebuilding and Restoring Southeast Mississippi following storm disasters. The money was raised through the church’s gospel concert series.
R3SM serves seven counties in the Pine Belt area by coordinating restoration, rebuilding and recovery efforts for low-income families. The organization operates from the Lucas-Varnado Volunteer House, located at 301 Buschman Street in downtown Hattiesburg. This building provides housing for the various volunteer groups that come to the Hattiesburg area.
Their mission is to help the Pine Belt’s most vulnerable recover from natural disasters, substandard housing, economic crises and the toxic effects of chronic poverty. They work to rebuild homes, communities and lives and to restore health, financial stability, dignity and hope following natural disasters.
In the two years since the last major tornado struck the Pine Belt area, R2SM has supported the building of 28 new homes, replacing ones which were destroyed. Three more homes will be completed within the next few months. In addition, more than 80 homes have been repaired. Between 2017 and 2019, R3SM has coordinated the work on these homes with almost 90 teams of more than 2,000 volunteers who have worked a combined 79,000 man hours.
