April 29, 2020

By Aaron Weaver

DECATUR, Ga. — CBF and CBF of North Carolina announced gifts totaling $25,000 to a new emergency relief fund to provide food to meet urgent essential needs of vulnerable children and families in communities where CBF serves in the United States and around the world.

CBF launched the Coronavirus Relief Fund on April 22 to support these vulnerable populations—children and families living in poverty, immigrants and refugees, people suffering from the impact of famine and war—who are plunging deeper into crisis as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread.

CBF Disaster Response is contributing $15,000 toward hunger-related needs and CBF of North Carolina has pledged $10,000 to the COVID-19 relief efforts. These gifts will help families in crisis receive emergency food, essential items like diapers and baby formula, assistance with rent or utilities so families can stay in their homes and other urgent support.

Larry Hovis, Executive Coordinator of CBF of North Carolina, expressed his appreciation for the work of CBF field personnel Marc and Kim Wyatt, who are providing emergency assistance as well as love and care to refugee families through their Welcome House ministry in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

“CBFNC is grateful to CBF Global for sending Marc and Kim Wyatt to North Carolina,” Hovis said. “Their work in our midst has awakened us to the critical nature of ministry to our refugee neighbors. In collaboration with the Wyatts, we are excited to share these funds with our larger CBF family to do similar ministry beyond the borders of our state.”

CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley highlighted the urgent ministry of CBF field personnel serving in 20 countries around the world as well as the ministries of Together for Hope practitioners in communities of persistent poverty throughout the United States.

“For decades, our Fellowship has been committed to participating in Christ’s mission of love and healing among those who live in poverty around our nation and all over the world,” Baxley said. “This commitment has been a part of the work of our field personnel from the very beginning and has also been evident in our Together for Hope ministries in the poorest counties in the United States. The COVID-19 global pandemic has most afflicted those who were already significantly at-risk, and our field personnel, Together for Hope leaders and others are working tirelessly to provide food to the hungry and relief to these vulnerable communities.

“I am grateful that this fund has been established with generous contributions from CBF Disaster Response and CBF of North Carolina,” Baxley said. “Now we all have an opportunity to give to support incredibly important ministry in a time of urgent need. Will you join us?”

Gifts to support COVID-19 emergency relief fund may be made at www.cbf.net/covidrelief.

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The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has formed a work group composed of pastors, CBF state and regional leaders and CBF communications staff to develop and curate resources to assist churches as they prepare for an eventual return to in-person church services and activities. Access a brand-new resource and a website containing curated resources for congregations as they consider resuming in-person activities at www.cbf.net/resuming.