Arizona Disaster Relief provides help, hope in 2025

In 2025, a total of 112 Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers responded to 17 callouts from floods to wildfires during the year.

Those volunteers ministered to victims of these tragedies with compassion and grace. They dug through ashes to recover whatever precious belongings they could find. They helped residents deal with flood-ravaged homes. They shared meals, prayers and tears.

During the year, the 112 Disaster Relief volunteers served 12,105 hours and provided 9,399 meals, 1,165 showers, 892 loads of laundry, and made 1,239 ministry contacts.

“These numbers represent real people, real conversations and real opportunities to share the love of Christ,” said Don Vickers, Arizona Disaster Relief director.

Teams assisted in California following wildfires and in Texas and New Mexico after flooding. Locally, teams worked at First Southern Baptist Church in Miami removing sheetrock and carpeting after flooding. They worked as assessors, on feeding and recovery teams, as chaplains and incident command.

Arizona Disaster Relief volunteers worked at 19 homes in Globe and Miami removing mud, water-damaged flooring, cabinets, sheetrock and possessions, then sanitizing the homes to prevent growth of mold and mildew.

Arizona Disaster Relief volunteers load a Red Cross vehicle with food for apartment residents who were displaced after a microburst in Tempe last fall.

Additionally, they supported the city of Tempe and Church on Mill after storm damage. At Church on Mill, volunteers applied tarps on three roofs, worked in a room that had water damage and cut down damaged trees. From October 20-24, 10 Arizona Disaster Relief volunteers prepared 2,150 meals distributed by the Red Cross to displaced Tempe residents.

“We were honored to support our Disaster Relief partners and our Convention throughout the year, including our Annual Meeting, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Site Exercise, and MIRT (Multi-functional Independent Review Team) to facilitate cross-sharing of best practices and lessons learned,” Vickers said.

Jim Godfrey, an elder from Cross Church in Surprise, was named Volunteer of the Year during the Arizona Disaster Relief celebration dinner in November. Godfrey was recognized for his service as a chaplain — working directly with those affected by disasters — as well as serving as liaison with other relief agencies.

In 2025, 129 individuals participated in training throughout the state. Additionally, 93 volunteers participated in chaplaincy training. Five AZDR training opportunities were held across the state to introduce and equip volunteers. Three additional training sessions focused specifically on chaplaincy.

“We are very thankful for each person who chose to invest their time and energy by participating in these events,” Vickers said.

Arizona Disaster Relief volunteers show a woman items recovered from her home destroyed in the Southern California wildfires in January 2025.

A number of training opportunities are scheduled across Arizona in 2026. The first was January 16-17 in Phoenix. This will be followed by training in Yuma, Sierra Vista, Tucson, Kingman, Phoenix, Casa Grande and Show Low.

Vickers is encouraging all volunteers to attend First Aid training. The medical bags have been reorganized and standardized across all units and AED training has been added, he said.

Details regarding all upcoming training opportunities and registration information can be found at azmn.org/disaster-relief/volunteer/.

“I am incredibly proud of how we have been able to respond to needs throughout the year,” Vickers said. “The strength of our leadership has allowed us to respond to multiple situations simultaneously and to do so with excellence.

“From supporting our neighbors across the country to serving right here in Arizona, AZDR volunteers have served with distinction and have given us countless opportunities to provide help, hope, and healing to many individuals and communities.”

Irene A. Harkleroad, a freelance writer living in Carefree, is a member of Black Mountain Baptist Church, Cave Creek.