Alabama tornadoes: Relief efforts in full swing

Stephanie Cain stacks donated canned goods at the Concord Baptist Church, days after the town was struck by deadly tornadoes.

An army of volunteers trooped into storm-stricken communities across west and central Alabama on Saturday, bringing food, water and labor to those trying to pick up the pieces.
"The response is overwhelming," said Judy McGuirk, a member of storm-damaged Fultondale First Baptist Church.
The church's parking lot looks out over the Glendale neighborhood, where a tornado sent towering 100-year-old oak trees crashing down on the small homes in the valley below.
On Saturday, the hillsides whined with chainsaws and crawled with men and women pulling limbs and branches off houses and helping residents cart out belongings.
"We have men working trees and ladies delivering food," said Sharon Folds, a member of Waco Baptist Church in Georgia, who was preparing turkey sandwiches for distribution.
Congregation members loaded up and headed over to Alabama when they saw reports of the destruction.
"It's what we are called to do," Fold said.
While the outpouring of aid and donations was welcomed, coordinating agencies cautioned that the tide of generosity could become overwhelming.
The Alabama Emergency Management Agency on Saturday urged people to match donations with verified need, or struggling communities could become burdened with unneeded supplies, officials warned.
Volunteers, both individuals and groups, should check with coordinating agencies so they can be steered to where help is needed, the agency said.
Art Faulker, director of the state EMA, urged individuals and organizations to go through Alabama's Statewide Volunteer Call Center, a 24/7 hot line to match volunteers and donations with needs. The hot line can be reached by calling 211 (in the state of Alabama) or toll free at 1-888-421-1266 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-888-421-1266      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or by visiting www.servealabama.gov.
"It can become a disaster within a disaster if it's not managed right," he said.