Tornadoes 2021 and Spring 2022:
Disaster Case Management is wrapping up for the survivors of the tornadoes in Hale and Perry counties for 2021 and spring 2022. Currently there are four brand new homes with safe rooms in construction, funded by an UMCOR grant and AWFC donations. In addition, disaster case management has been provided in Hale County at the request of the long term recovery group, and those survivors have received over $100,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund, which would not have been possible without the advocacy and hard work of the AWFC disaster team.
November 2022 Tornadoes:
On November 30, 2022, approximately 30 tornadoes touched down across Alabama. Many of these caused damages in the Alabama West Florida Conference. Two fatalities occurred, with dozens of homes and apartments damaged, and several homes destroyed. These disasters have not been federally declared therefore no FEMA awards were received. ERT teams deployed and over 100 tornado buckets were distributed as well as tarps in needed cases. A $10K grant was received from UMCOR and it was spent on food, building materials, emergency electricity relief, and tarps for several families in need in the Tibbie, Fruitdale, and Montgomery areas. Other affected areas included rural Hale County and an apartment building in Greene County. Currently, screening of survivors is underway to assess unmet needs for full recovery of these families.
January 2023 Tornadoes:
On January 12, 2023, several supercell thunderstorms spawned an estimated 14 tornadoes, straight-line winds and golf-ball sized hail, causing significant damage across central Alabama and many parts of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. AWFUMC completed assessments in impacted counties (Sumter, Green, Mobile, Elmore, Dallas, Autauga, Hale, Mobile, Coosa and Tallapoosa) immediately after the storm. Tarps were distributed as well as ERT teams deployed. As with most tornadoes, the debris and damage was extensive. AWFUMC staff are participating in local LTRG meetings in Hale, Dallas and Greene Counties, as well as local VOADs and the AWFUMC disaster team have been asked to provided disaster case management in Dallas and Hale counties, which have hundreds of potential cases. As of February, ten counties have been declared, there have been over $4M awarded for individual assistance. AWFUMC has utilized the UMCOR Solidarity Grant monies and additional funding in this early relief phase, as well as deployed ERTs, provided flood buckets, meals, water, and tarps. Several local churches are engaged in the relief efforts and supporting in various capacities including housing volunteers during the relief phase.
Next steps:
AWFC has applied for an UMCOR grant to assist with disaster case management, home repairs, new home builds, and other unmet needs for the underinsured/uninsured families. The disaster team anticipates collaboration with several agencies such as local United Ways, other religious disaster teams, the State of Alabama, and additional non profits with whom we have worked in the past. The goal is to stretch the dollars granted by leveraging as many other funds as possible through these collaborations. We anticipate needing volunteers in the future, in but until the grant is provided, case management cannot begin, and it takes time to get to the point of construction.
Current ways to support disaster missions:
