Situation:
Over the weekend, extreme widespread storms, including more than 100 tornadoes, were reported across multiple states, including Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa.
The storms caused widespread damage and power outages, and initial estimates indicate over 200 homes have been destroyed across these three states, with an additional 180 homes sustaining damage. Dozens of injuries and several deaths have also been reported.
Preliminary damage assessments are scheduled in many areas while first responders continue their work to remove debris and utility companies seek to restore power.
CWS Response:
CWS’ Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery team is monitoring the situation in impacted communities and, since the initial days of the storm, has been attending State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) coordination calls in Iowa and Nebraska.
We have offered CWS Kits, Blankets and Emergency Cleanup Buckets to disaster-impacted areas as needs are determined and are also committed to supporting affected immigrant communities, including unaccompanied children and their sponsors, by connecting individuals to resources and existing support structures.
Recovery in these communities will take years. CWS works with impacted communities long after the initial disaster response phase to identify unmet needs and gaps where our support and efforts are most impactful.
Your contributions ensure that we can provide critical and life-saving resources to our neighbors when it’s most needed and sustain that support long after the news has left headlines.
How to Help
To support CWS emergency response efforts, donations can be made online or sent to Church World Service (P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515).