Debris piled up after the Saturday tornado south of Winterset. (RI photo)
A disaster recovery fund set up by the Greater Madison County Community Foundation is taking donations to support families impacted by Saturday’s deadly tornado.
The EF4 twister damaged or destroyed more than 50 Winterset-area homes. Foundation manager Tom Leners says with volatile prices for building materials, insurance and government relief may fall short of what people need to repair and rebuild.
Leners says, “The future need and probably the bigger over-the-horizon need is for funding to go ahead and fill in the gap of what insurance and disaster payments don’t cover.” Six people were killed in the Winterset-area tornado, with multiple injuries. Leners says the fund could also help pay for medical costs, deductibles or clean-up jobs not covered by insurance.
The Red Cross is working with New Bridge Church in Winterset to operate a shelter for people whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Madison County Chamber of Commerce director Amara Huffine says the operation is well-stocked with food, supplies and winter clothing. She says what people need now is gift cards to help cover the cost of gas, groceries and other essentials.
“Those are the biggest needs we have a lot of outpouring that have provided food, clothing all of that, that’s all taken care of,” Huffine says, “it’s the gift cards and the financial support.” Huffine says gift cards can be dropped off or sent to New Bridge Church, while cash donations can be sent to the foundation or made online at MadisonCountyFoundation.org.
(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)