How to help people affected by the U.S. tornado disaster

A series of devastating December tornadoes have destroyed homes and killed dozens of people across midwest and southern states, including Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, and Missouri. Kentucky residents have been hit the hardest, with at least 88 deaths and 109 people still unaccounted for. Many have found themselves homeless or without utilities as the state heads into winter. 

At least 44 tornadoes raged across the region between Friday and Sunday, shocking emergency systems and causing severe damage to infrastructure across the state. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency on Dec.11 and ordered federal aid to the area. 

Kentucky state officials said many households could be without heat, water, or electricity for weeks as rescue efforts continue, the Associated Press reported on Monday. As of Monday morning, 30,000 homes were without power, according to Kentucky governor Andy Beshear. 

National Guard troops are on the ground to assist in recovering missing residents, and relief organizations are providing needed resources like food, water, and clothes. Locals and people from surrounding areas are traveling to provide aid to Kentuckians, like Jim Finch, who set up a makeshift food station in the center of Mayfield, Kentucky, one of the hardest hit towns. 

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We’ve compiled the following list of ways to help aid workers and residents in Kentucky, one of the worst affected states, while officials respond to those in need, fix infrastructure and locate the missing. There are more ways to help tornado victims across the region, however. Consider donating to the Midwest U.S. Tornado Relief Fund by the nonprofit fundraising platform Global Giving. You can also check out GoFundMe’s verified list of tornado relief fundraisers and find more resources here.

Donate to relief organizations on the ground 

State and federal response teams have been joined by local and national organizations in getting needed resources to households, operating shelters and blood drives, and collecting funds for emergency use by families.  

• Team Western Kentucky Relief Fund was established by Gov. Andy Beshear to assist residents after the Dec. 11 tornado. All donations go toward state-led efforts to rescue and assist those affected, including burial costs for families. 

• The Red Cross has members on the ground operating 12 emergency shelters and numerous blood drives. Online donations go towards the organization’s general work. To ensure your donation goes specifically to tornado relief, the Red Cross asks donors to mail a donation form and check with “southern and midwest tornadoes” written in the subject line. 

• CARE, an international nonprofit that provides assistance to impoverished communities, set up a Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. Donations go toward the immediate needs of Kentucky families, including food, water, and emergency cash. 

• The Salvation Army is collecting donations of money or items to local relief efforts and you can choose to donate by region. All money donated online goes directly to emergency services including food and drinks, and baby, hygiene, cleaning, or other supplies, the organization states.

• The Community Foundation of Kentucky, a local organization that manages and fundraises for charities and local nonprofits in the area, is accepting PayPal donations to a disaster relief fund that will assists families affected by the tornadoes. 

• The Kentucky Chamber Foundation partnered with regional radio station Kentucky Sports Radio to create the Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund, which will go to rebuilding efforts with local community organizations. Donate to the fundraiser on GoFundMe. 

• The University of Kentucky is donating all funds given to its Basic Needs and Persistence Fund to university students affected by the tornadoes. 

• The Global Empowerment Mission, a natural disaster relief organization, is collecting donations to transport $2 million in food and supplies and $100,000 in cash cards for residents of Kentucky. The organization, partnered with local community organizations, is transporting the goods in two semi trucks and will distribute the first shipment of supplies on Thursday. Donate here. 

• The LEE Initiative, a Louisville nonprofit that provides restaurant training and job opportunities to underrepresented communities, has pledged $15,000 in food to help tornado victims. The organization will be operating food trucks around the area this week. Donate to expand the organization’s efforts on its website. 

Donate in kind

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and governor’s office is also accepting donations of physical items, including:

• Water

• Flash Lights

• Head Lamps

• Batteries

• Work/Utility Gloves

• New Socks

• New Undergarments

• Blankets

• Coats

• Warm clothes

• Shoes

• Toiletry Items

Items can be mailed to or dropped off at:

Mayfield-Graves County Fairground

1004 KY-121

Mayfield, KY 42066

Other local organizations, including animal rescues, are also accepting physical donations, both by mail and in person. Check out a non-exhaustive list here. 

If you live in the area…

Consider donating blood to a nearby blood bank to help with emergency blood shortages. You can find one in your area on the Red Cross’s website or the organization’s blood donor app. Or check online for blood drives by the Kentucky Blood Center or Blood Assurance, a regional network specifically seeking donations for Tennessee and Kentucky tornado relief.

Take tornado safety seriously. Don’t enter damaged buildings unless they’ve been inspected, and look out for downed power lines or broken gas lines. Report these to utility companies as soon as possible. Call Crisis Clean Up, a disaster clean up organization partnered with FEMA, to find assistance removing debris. 

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For those battling power outages, the Red Cross also suggests these precautions to keep you and your family safe:

• Use flashlights to light your home, rather than candles.

• Don’t drive unless necessary, as roads could be dangerous.

• Turn off and unplug all appliances to prevent them from being damaged during power surges.

• Keep food covered, in a dry, cool spot. Don’t eat perishable food that’s been stored at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. 

• If using a generator, keep it dry and plug appliances into it directly. Don’t plug a generator into a wall outlet. 

We will continue to update this story with more resources as they become available.