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Grayson receives honor from Small Business Administration

For the second year in a row, a Selma leader has received a Phoenix Award presented by the Small Business Administration.

On Sunday, Pastor John E. Grayson was awarded the Phoenix Award for his volunteer service during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. This comes a year after Jacqueline “Jackie” Tate Smith, received the Phoenix Award for Outstanding Small Business Disaster Recovery following the Jan. 12, 2023, Selma tornado.

Grayson was also honored for his efforts and the efforts of his church, Tabernacle of Praise Church of God in Christ, for helping local residents recover from the EF-2 tornado, which damaged hundreds of homes and businesses in the city.

“I’m thankful for the honor of being selected by the United States Small Business Administration to receive the 2025 Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contribution to Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer,” Grayson said.

While he appreciates the honor, Pastor Grayson said he’s no hero and deserves no special thanks for doing the right thing.

“You don’t get anything special for doing the right thing, you should do what’s right anyway,” Grayson said.

This award was given to him, but he said it was the community that helped with the efforts done by Pastor Grayson and the Gospel Tabernacle Church.

The Jan. 12, 2023, EF-2 tornado with winds over 130 miles an hour plowed through the city, damaging more than 3,200 structures with over 500 completely destroyed. More than 100 businesses were damaged including the Walton Theater that Pastor Grayson and wife operate with the help of Gospel Tabernacle Church.

Gospel Tabernacle Church has helped during catastrophes and whenever there was a need in the community. Grayson and the church have traveled to other communities to deliver water, non-perishable items to help in storm recovery, but this time it was home. On Jan. 13, 2023, one day after the tornado, Pastor Grayson and Gospel Tabernacle Church opened its doors for refuge from the tornado by allowing individuals who did not have power to come in out the weather, refresh themselves, charge their phones and pick up needed supplies, such as batteries, tarps, water, hot meals, baby diapers as well as adult diapers and practically anything needed.

Many families moved in with friends and families, but some made makeshift tents and even stayed in damaged houses that had one room left standing with no power. Pastor Grayson led the church in finding hotel rooms and other facilities to house families with damages from the tornado, paying for over 107 hotel nights, procuring 11 homes and paying for minor repairs and cleanup for needed families.

The church also turned a building that was once the church’s restaurant into a temporary shelter for families displaced by the tornado. The church repaired 54 homes and partnered with other organizations to repair homes by supplying building materials, furniture and appliances for 87 families while partnering with other organizations to build four new homes from the ground up.

Gospel Tabernacle Church became a Storm Relief Center providing the Small Business Administration with two rooms for office space for almost a year where people could come to apply for loans from SBA and receive resources offered by the SBA.

The church’s bus was used to take SBA leaders, political officials and investors to tour the damaged neighborhoods. Gospel Tabernacle Church has been a staple in the community, and many families signed up for assistance at the church.

FEMA met at the church along with other groups such as Rubicon, Samaritans Purse, the University of Alabama, Eight Days Of Hope, the Mennonite Disaster Recovery and the The United Methodist Church Disaster Recovery Team, to name a few. Groups from Alabama First Jurisdiction Church Of God In Christ, Alabama Baptist Association, Lutheran Disaster Recovery, First Baptist Church Pelham, Local churches, local businesses and individuals all came together in partnership to help with the storm recovery.

Grayson credits everyone who helped in this process. The recovery center received grants from Black Belt Community Foundation, Sen. Robert Stewart and Lutheran Disaster Recovery. The City of Selma, Selma Housing Authority, Dallas County EMA, Selma High School, United Way, Sonlight Ministries, High Socks Of Hope, the local Red Cross and many other agencies also partnered with Pastor Grayson.

Many individuals and other organizations reached out to Grayson and Gospel Tabernacle Church with supplies. First Baptist Church downtown Selma, Steve Burton and Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Westwood Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Greater New Hope Baptist Church and the Edmundite Missions, City of Selma and Selma City Council, Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, Dallas County Commission, St. Paul Episcopal Church, the Rev. Bailey Dawson and Eagle Grove Baptist Church, Selma long Term Recovery Group, to name a few.