National Mission
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Youth Mission
First Presbyterian Church has mobilized teams of volunteers to go to communities in need throughout the United States in times of natural disasters. We have rebuilt homes, religious institutions, and spiritual relationships for people in need. Yes, we love to build.
Members from our church have a long history of piling into cars and caravanning south to help rebuild disaster areas. These are some of the places and disasters we have responded to.
Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans and Alabama - 7 trips
Hurricane Matthew - Columbia, South Carolina - 3 trips
Economic Disaster relief - Mission, Texas
Hurricane - Houston, Texas
Hurricane - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Hurricanes Matthew and Florence - New Bern, North Carolina - 2 trips
Hurricane Ian - Fort Myers, Florida
Youth Mission Trips
Early in our Christian Education programs, our youth learn the value of mission. They conduct fundraising events and participate on mission and work trips outside our community and state.
Reports on Mission Trips to New Bern, NC - Jan. 2023 & Feb. 2025
Our youth at Pittsford Pres are amazing. Our church has sponsored youth mission trips to New Bern, NC in both 2023 and 2025. The need for assistance in this area is significant and ongoing.
New Bern is located near the coast in eastern NC where the Neuse River and its tributaries meet the sea. The land is very low lying and easily floods with the storm surges from the biennial hurricanes which pass through this area. Much of the low-lying, unproductive land in this region was given as reparation to freed slaves after the civil war. Breaking the cycle of poverty in this area is an ongoing challenge.
Our work is coordinated by Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance (CCDRA) (https://cravendra.org) an organization dedicated to long-term disaster relief in this coastal area. “CCDRA’s vision is to continue assisting those still affected from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence with long-term recovery and unmet needs assistance; and to be an ongoing resource for all future disasters that will happen again in Craven Country.” With a backlog of 400 families needing assistance, CCDRA’s mission is expected to go on for years to come.
Our accommodations for the mission trips are hosted by Neuse Forest Presbyterian Church and their Volunteer village (previously their education building) consisting of 9 bunk rooms, showers, bathrooms, laundry facilities, a lounge and use of one of their 2 kitchens.
2023 Mission Trip Report
On a gray Rochester day in early January our mission team set out for a weeklong trip to New Bern, NC to help hurricane disaster victims recover from past storms. Our team included Dan Harrison, Janette Henderson, Craig and Calypso Kunkle, Adam Petersen, Carol Anne Strawbridge, Steve and Sally Christensen (Gates Presbyterian) and Nick Tangney (Dan’s nephew).
On Sunday, we worshiped and ate lunch with the Neuse Forest Presbyterian Church. It reminded us of the book many of us read on the Neighborhood Church - partnerships with local organizations to extend the impact of the church into the community. A big surprise for us all was that the Pastor, Rev. John A. Robinson, Jr., had preached at our Church shortly after the fire as a part of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance’s response to our disaster. That sermon inspired some members of our church to partner with PDA on mission work.
Our work focused on 4 different locations.
Repurposing building materials from a whole medical clinic: our first day was spent removing full of cabinets, counters, and sinks that will be used in homes and facilities where those items were damaged beyond repair. The rest of the week focused on work in 3 homes.
Miss Barbara’s home was flooded during Hurricane Florence, when water 6 feet deep washed through her street. Most of the repair work on her home was done, but we were able to complete some painting and electrical work. She is an elderly veteran, wheelchair bound with multiple health problems, yet striving to maintain a home for herself, her chronically ill daughter, and grandson.
Miss Mary’s home received roof damage during the storm in 2018. She had taken out a loan and paid a contractor to repair the roof, but she became the victim of contractor fraud – the work was never done, and her entire home filled with black mold, was condemned and torn down. Through the efforts of CCDRA and other agencies, Miss Mary now has a safe, brand-new home on the site of her old house. We were able to help her assemble some furniture, but most of our time with Miss Mary was spent listening to her, enjoying each other’s company and her beautiful, optimistic outlook on life.
Mr. Eddy, who is Miss Mary’s next-door neighbor. Mr. Eddy is currently undergoing daily chemotherapy, yet he has taken in his developmentally challenged cousin. His trailer home was damaged in 2018 and later burned down, causing him to lose his disaster assistance. Neighbors gave him an old, dilapidated trailer and it was moved to the site of his burned-out one. Other CCDRA volunteer groups already rebuilt and insulated part of the trailer floor, but there was still much to be done. In 4 days, our team ripped out and rebuilt the rest of the floor – new framing, insulation, subfloor, and vinyl plank flooring. The plumbing and electrical systems are now functioning. Mr. Eddy’s sense of humor kept us all in good spirits as we worked! The transformation of Mr. Eddy’s cousin over the course of the week was inspiring. At first we were just a disruption to her normal routine. By the end of the week she was pitching in and helping, sharing smiles and hugs with the group and referring to us as family.
On a bright and sunny day, we departed New Bern with smiles on our faces and a deep, satisfying warmth in our hearts. It is so inspiring to meet people who have been through so much yet maintain their faith and optimism that life is good. “Go where God sends you, do what he wants you to do” – words to live by. While our mission work was outwardly focused on “fixing and rebuilding” people’s homes, the overarching purpose is to help restore people’s lives. By engaging in neighborly love for one another, we are all moved. The folks we help feel loved and cared for and in the process, we are changed and touched by the love we receive back. All of us grow through the experience of Mission by being God’s hands and hearts in our world
2025 Mission Trip Report
Our recent mission trip to New Bern, North Carolina, was an incredible experience of service and transformation. Eight dedicated youth and seven tireless adults spent three days working with the Craven County Disaster Recovery Association, making a real difference in the lives of those recovering from natural disasters. The challenges were significant: one trailer home required extensive floor and wall replacement due to rot and necessary plumbing repairs. Another house saw our team tackling mold remediation and cosmetic repairs in the central living spaces, including ceiling and wall work. Finally, we fortified a third home by adding concrete block supports and securing the roof and structure to the foundation, providing crucial protection against future storms.
Witnessing our youth working with passion and dedication was inspiring. On their winter vacation these kids got up at 7am for breakfast, made their own lunches and were ready to leave for the work site by 8:30 am. They worked alongside adults till about 5 pm pitching in, no matter the task and without complaint. Upon returning to our volunteer village they would clean up, have dinner and then have fun playing games and generally horsing around. At 8:30 pm we would have a time of devotions and reflections on the day. The experiences these kids shared were amazing. Lights out at 10PM did not always mean voices were out, but everyone managed to stay on schedule and have a great time.
In the process our youth learned valuable skills while directly impacting those in need. The excitement of providing tangible help was palpable, and the lessons learned about compassion and resilience will stay with them forever. While everyone returned home thoroughly exhausted from the hard work, the overwhelming feeling was deep satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
The Mission Trip to Fort Myers, Florida - Jan. 2023
Although Hurricane Ian struck Florida in the fall of 2022 many people suffered severe damage and are still recovering. Some of those people won’t have power until 2024. Click HERE to see a video of the trip.
