In spite of destruction and heartbreak, some good things came from Hurricane Katrina. One of those is New Life Disaster Relief. In 2005 Ken and Dawn Wetzel were living in a leased home that had significant damage. While it was being repaired, they moved into a small rental house and immediately started helping other Coast residents.
He continued volunteering with several organizations, leading their volunteers in the community, and officially started New Life Disaster Relief in January 2007. “At that time we set up the NLDR Volunteer Camp at Biloxi Christian Church,” he recalls. “Volunteer groups came in from all over the country to assist in our community, while we housed, fed, provided tools, materials, and job site supervision.”
Since then the Wetzels haven’t looked back. “The out of town volunteers, along with local volunteers respond with NLDR to disasters on a national basis and assisting in community rebuilds,” he says. “We are so grateful to our volunteers and donors for the relationships that are formed between the Wetzel family and the volunteers, and between the homeowners and the volunteers.”
The organization focuses on three main areas of need – responding to disasters by purchasing and delivering supplies, providing volunteer labor and assessing future needs, and assisting in rebuilding by distributing donations of food, supplies and materials to the community.
“We genuinely aspire to the belief that ‘it’s not about the recognition… it’s about the relationships.’ Concurrently, we relish the opportunity to be ambassadors for the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Wetzel said. “We respond to natural disasters and personal crisis as well. Our motto is serve God. serve family, serve others.”
New Life Disaster Relief has had many projects. A few of their standouts include helping repair and rebuild several small independent churches in at-risk neighborhoods in Moss Point, Gulfport, and the New Orleans ninth ward.
Another favorite project was starting the annual Adopt-A-Child Christmas program here 15 years ago. For 14 years they’ve been joined by Quincy University from Illinois in providing gifts for overlooked and underserved children. In December 2018, New Life and Quincy University provided gifts to an entire third grade class in Panama City, Florida, after Hurricane Michael. In 2021 they were able to provide gifts for nearly 1,000 kids in Louisiana, and Mississippi after Hurricane Ida.
Born and raised in Biloxi, Ken Wetzel has lived on the Coast all but 10 years of his life. Dawn Wetzel was born in Michigan and moved to Biloxi at age two. They have been married 18 years and are the parents of four children, Stephen, Cain, Elizabeth and Paul. “All of our kids are very active volunteering with NLDR and have traveled throughout the Southeast with us to respond to disasters,” Ken Wetzel says.
He worked 11 years as a hospital administrator in several Southeastern states, and then worked 11 years in insurance and investments until Katrina hit. “When Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, many of the businesses that I provided employee benefits to struggled to rebuild, and it largely decimated my insurance business.” he says. “I began volunteering and leading volunteer groups.”
In December 2005, the Wetzels made the decision to embark on a faith walk by becoming a full-time volunteers funded solely by donations. “While I am not an ordained minister, our mission and effort are strongly influenced by our Christian faith, and directed by the Word of God and His Spirit,” he said.
For his community leadership, Ken Wetzel has been recognized with a number of awards including a Presidential Call to Service Award presented by President George W Bush; Hope Crisis Response Network Volunteer of the Year; Youth For Christ Volunteer of the Year; Hands-On USA Outstanding Volunteer; City of Biloxi Community Volunteer of the Year; and GIVE (Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence) Award.
Additionally, NLDR was featured on Fox News, Good Morning America and CBN’s 700 Club.
“We are blessed and honored to receive this recognition on behalf of those who have faithfully served our community, our ministry, and our family,” Wetzel said. “Amazingly, New Life Disaster Relief has continued to serve without receiving government grants, denominational funding, or corporate sponsorships.”
The ministry is always pleased to accept prayers, monetary and material donations and volunteers.
New Life Disaster Relief
228.596.0390
www.newlifedisasterrelief.org
