NECHAMA Launches 2012 Spring Appeal
Usually at this time of year we launch our Spring fundraising appeal asking you to help us prepare in advance of the start of disaster season. Well, this year isn’t typical and tornado season has already begun in a big way.
On Saturday, April 14th, we saw over 120 reported tornadoes touch down throughout the Midwest region with damage spreading across three states. NECHAMA responded by directly assisting the community of Thurman, Iowa, where over 75% of the homes suffered major damage.
It was not so long ago that we were hearing those same mighty roars on February 28th and March 2nd, when communities across multiple states were devastated as well. At that time, NECHAMA deployed and helped hundreds of people along the way.
From this recent deployment one story stands out: local community members Sandra Spencer-Sharp and her son Spencer Keck were volunteering with us in West Liberty KY. They joined us for two days helping clear trees and debris before it came out in conversation that they too needed help. Sandra’s home, where she had lived with her daughter and two young grandchildren, was severely damaged.
She was living in a shelter at night, applying for various assistance programs, because she had no insurance. All the while, she was volunteering during the day to serve her neighbors as well.
Sandra and Spencer felt the need to pay it forward for the help they had received thus far and it didn’t take long for us at NECHAMA to figure out where we needed to go next.
Please visit www.NECHAMA.org/donate or watch the video above to see and hear first hand accounts of their story.
All signs point to this being another busy year. The warmer than usual winter experienced by much of the country has many experts concerned about the impact on weather patterns and the intensity of future storms. 2010 and 2011 saw not only a record-breaking number of disasters, but a corresponding record for the largest number of disaster deployment days in NECHAMA’s history.
We still haven’t figured out how to control the storms but with your help we will be ready to respond and be there for those that need us in 2012 and beyond.
Please donate to ensure our ability to lend a helping hand to those who have lost everything.
Donate today on line at: www.NECHAMA.org/donate
Your help brings NECHAMA (“comfort”) to disaster survivors.
Thanks,
Team NECHAMA