Bartow County churches take lead in tornado relief and cleanup.
Bartow County churches welcome Red Cross help.
BARTOW COUNTY, GA -- Like many tornado ravaged communities, the northern part of Bartow County would definitely be in much worse shape were it not for its churches.
Dozens have banded together to feed, house, clothe and cleanup debris for more than 300 families.
Mormons and Baptists banded together to cut up and remove dozens of smashed trees from Bryan King's yard Tuesday.
Their kindness practically left him speechless.
"I got a phone call, you know, everybody's just so willing to help; I really don't know what to think about it," King said.
A rumor has been circulating around Bartow County that now that the Red Cross has arrived, they're somehow taking over the feeding role from the churches, but the churches say that's not the case.
Kevin Harris of Second Genesis Ministries is one of several religious groups that have been feeding storm victims for days.
The Red Cross has taken over the food supply, but churches are still helping to distribute meals, which Harris said he welcomes.
"It's taken a little load off us and now we can just kinda relax and let them bring it and then we can be the hands and feet and distribute it," he said.
Even churches that suffered damage themselves are reaching out to the community.
The overall coordinator for Bartow County's relief effort is a minister working out of an official command post at Grace Baptist Church.
"You can't have that coordination without people working together," Rev. David Franklin told 11Alive News. "Everybody's getting fed; we're making progress; we've still got a long way to go."