MNA Disaster Response coordinated record Sheds of HOPE deployments in response to Hurricane Helene. In addition we have been sending Sheds of HOPE kits to our St. Louis Tornado Response. At the MNA Charles H. Jones Family Disaster Response Center in Rome GA, our inventory was reduced to zero, and at the MNA John Browne Family Disaster Response Center in Dallas TX, our inventory was reduced but not depleated. The one-year anniversary date of Helene making landfall has come and gone, and MNA Disaster Response continues to provide sheds to displaced homeowners in the rugged mountains of Western North Carolina and Upper East Tennessee. Teams working in urban St Louis are grappling with setting up sheds in the cold and snowy midwest, not a task for the faint of heart.

Of note; the MNA Permanent Committee, at it’s recent September meeting, acted to commend Highlands Presbytery of Western NC and Westminster Presbytery of Upper East TN and Southwest VA for their extraordinary, tireless, and sacrificial service to us, the Presbyterian Church in America and those affected by the 2024 Hurricane Helene. When MNA Disaster Response launches a response our prayers always ask for a robust mobilization of God’s people, that is our hope and prayer.

A resolution of commendation serves as a formal and public recognition of an individual or group’s outstanding achievement, service, or contribution. Unlike a simple letter, a resolution from the Permanent Committee carries weight and makes the accomplishment a matter of record, spread upon the minutes of the presbyteries, and as a result, the PCA General Assembly.

MNA Disaster Response Specialist Mike Kennamer presented the Resolution of Commendation to Westminster Presbytery at it’s Autumn meeting and MNA Disaster Response Specialist Steve Jessen presented the resolution to Highlands Presbytery at it’s Autumn meeting. This doesn’t happen very often which underscores the significance of the resolution. And, the work is continuning. You can read the resolution in it’s entirety here: https://tinyurl.com/bdf22tjh 

Kit building teams responded to our call to increase their output during the Summer and Autumn. Thanks to those committed churches we can report that the inventory of ‘ready to go‘ Sheds of HOPE kits recovered to an acceptable level before teams wrapped up operations for the coldest days of winter. And new teams in NC and SC are getting legs and marshaling kits directly to the ongoing response in Western NC, our version of ‘just-in-time-delivery‘. Those shed kits are never inventoried at our warehouse or depots. One benefit is the cost savings realized when we don’t shrink wrap those kits for the short transport to homeowner sites. BTY, it costs about $60 and about 1-1/2 hours of time by 3 volunteers to shrink wrap a shed kit.

Here is the current ‘on-hand’ inventory.

Storage Location	Goal	Current Inventory
MNA Charles H. Jones Family Disaster Response Center, Rome GA	60	58
MNA John Browne Family Disaster Response Center Dallas TX	30	21
Raymond Depot – Presbytery of Mississippi Valley Raymond MS	20-30	6
Totals	110-120	85 as of December 20, 2025

MNA Disaster Response continues to deploy Sheds of HOPE to urban St Louis MO. Cold weather has set in, but teams are wisely picking out warmer days, when available, to setup Sheds of HOPE. So far, MNA has sent 14 Sheds of HOPE kits from the MNA Charles H. Jones Family Disaster Response Center and the MNA John Browne Family Disaster Response Center. Here are a few recent pictures of teams setting up sheds.

In addition, as the end of the year approaches, it is proper to congratulate the Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church Sheds of HOPE team. On November 11, before they mothballed their Sheds of HOPE kit building operation for the cold winter months, they paused to celebrated a major milestone…the competition of their 200th Shed of HOPE kit!

Since 2017, the congregation has sent sheds all over the Southeast, the Midwest, and the South Central Regions, and has counted on the time and skill of over 75 volunteers (plus over 20 students from local schools). Each shed costs approximately $1,500 to construct and their SOH budget comes entirely from donations. To date, about $250,000 has been invested in helping the sheds come together and make their way to families who have been affected by disaster – all at no cost to the recipients. Praise God for his generosity to – and through – the LOPC Sheds of HOPE team.

In addition, MNA Disaster Response counts on this team to mentor new Sheds of HOPE kit building teams, helping them establish their own kit building operations. We call this Sheds of HOPE University! Let us know if you would like to schedule your team to join a class at their next build.

Finally, if you would like to financially support this vital ministry at years-end please follow the following links:

Support Sheds of Hope

Support Steve Britton, MNA Disaster Response Specialist, Sheds of HOPE