60 Volunteers Deploy to Help 800 Homes After Lincoln Flood

After a devastating August 2 storm dumped record rainfall on Lincoln, Ontario, help arrived in the form of 60 disaster-trained volunteers ready to rebuild hope one flooded basement at a time.

Three relief organizations, Samaritan's Purse, Team Rubicon, and Mennonite Disaster Service, have set up a self-contained response village behind New Hope Church West Niagara. Complete with kitchens, showers, sleeping facilities, and an operations center, the teams are providing completely free flood cleanup to residents who need it most.

"We're prioritizing the most vulnerable, those underinsured and noninsured, the elderly and those that are very vulnerable to a situation like this," said Keith Waara, director of Canadian disaster relief at Samaritan's Purse. The storm triggered over 1,000 emergency calls and impacted approximately 800 residential addresses across the town.

These aren't just regular volunteers. They're professional disaster responders, many of them former firefighters, police officers, engineers, and construction workers who've been trained specifically for crisis situations like this one.

The crews meet each morning at 8 a.m., get their assignments, and head out by 9 a.m. to help families mud out basements, remove saturated drywall, clear debris, eliminate mold, and apply disinfectants. They work Monday through Saturday, spending anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days at each location depending on the damage severity.

Initial estimates put the community's total damage between $15 million and $20 million. That's a staggering number for any town, but especially devastating for families without adequate insurance coverage.

The Ripple Effect

What started with 20 volunteers on day one has grown to 60 by the weekend, with more arriving daily. The operation costs between $4,000 and $8,000 per day to run, funded entirely by donations from faith groups and the public.

The response shows how prepared disaster relief can transform crisis into recovery. With dozens of trucks and trailers mobilized from their Mount Hope garage, the teams expect to work in Lincoln for at least three weeks, though that timeline could extend based on community needs.

Local residents can still request help by calling the helpline at 1-844-547-2664. Those who want to join the effort can show up at the operations center by 8 a.m. any weekday or Saturday, ready with sturdy boots, weather gear, and a willingness to help neighbors get their lives back.

When disaster strikes, this is what community looks like: trained professionals working alongside everyday heroes, all focused on lifting up the people who need it most.