Celebrating the Midwest Early Recovery Fund’s 2022 grantee partners

Fall is my favorite time of year. Not because of pumpkin spice or football, or because the year is racing to an end and there is a pile of things I have yet to accomplish. But because harvest (yes, I grew up in a farm family) is a time to celebrate the hard work of the last year that led to the learnings, connections and progress of today.

In that vein, I am grateful for and want to celebrate CDP Midwest Early Recovery Fund’s newest grantee partners.

• Matthew 25 to support home repair in Linn County, Iowa (Cedar Rapids Area) in response to the August 2020 derecho. Matthew 25, in collaboration with multiple organizations, will lead repair work for the county’s low-income, underinsured or uninsured households. Matthew 25 is creating a resource guide about repairing manufactured homes after a disaster.
• The Old Community House Foundation in Trumann, Arkansas, received funding to support a disaster recovery coordinator for 18 months of recovery coordination needs. This grant supports recovery efforts following the December 2021 tornadoes affecting the community and surrounding area.
• United Way of Reno County in Hutchinson, Kansas, for recovery from the 2022 Cottonwood Complex Fire. Funds will support two disaster case managers for 18 months as they work to ensure everyone has access to resources.
• Northwest Arkansas Child Care & Referral Center (Child Care Aware of NWA) received a grant to support the recovery needs of children and caregivers after the 2022 Springdale, Arkansas tornado. Funds will allow Child Care Aware of NWA to hire a specialist to support caregivers and trainings for more than 500 providers, educators, parents and caregivers. In addition, caregivers and providers will be educated on trauma responses during a one-day conference.
• Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma received funding for disaster case management services. This grant is in response to 2022 NE Oklahoma flooding and severe weather and will provide critical services for households in Eastern Oklahoma.
• Red Lodge Area Community Foundation (RLACF) in Carbon County, Montana, received funding to support case management and recovery coordination. The grant, made in response to June 2022 flooding, will allow RLACF to provide recovery support for the entire county.
• Castlewood Community Foundation in South Dakota received a grant to support casework, recovery task force development and children’s psychosocial needs in response to a May 2022 tornado.
• Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota received funding to support community capacity for disaster recovery. Funds will support services such as the creation and support of a long-term recovery group, training and education, disaster recovery coordination and disaster case management.
• Recovering Oklahomans After Disaster (ROAD) received a grant for housing recovery and construction management in response to 2022 Oklahoma severe storms and flooding. The Midwest Early Recovery Fund and the Disaster Recovery Fund co-funded this grant.
• Salvation Army Arkansas/Oklahoma Division received a grant for disaster case management services as they support recovery from the December 2021 Arkansas Tornadoes. Primary locations include Poinsett (Trumann), Craighead (Monette) and Mississippi (Leachville) counties. The Midwest Early Recovery Fund and the Disaster Recovery Fund co-funded this grant.

Each of these communities faces significant challenges as they work towards equitable recovery. Many need additional funding and materials to ensure people can return home and that the psychosocial needs of children are met.

As you think about the last quarter of 2022, please remember these communities and others like them who are working towards recovery from disasters. While celebrating all that they have accomplished this year, we also must recognize all that is left to be done. Please reach out if we can assist you in identifying low-attention disasters and recovery needs in the region, or if you’d like to learn how you can engage with these impacted communities.