The outpouring of support from all over has been truly amazing! Volunteers from dozens of organizations are feeding neighborhoods and clean-up volunteers, and neighbors from all over the state and region of all walks of life have shown up to help.
Thank you to everyone who helped our neighbors as they begin to rebuild. Tomorrow is a new day and we hope to get an early start in the morning.
Recovering from these two EF3 tornadoes is going to be a marathon, though, unfortunately. The impacted areas and especially the rural Arkansans on the outskirts of Pulaski County, Lonoke County, and in the Wynne and Earl
e areas, will need help for weeks to come.
BIGGEST NEEDS NOW:
We are looking for volunteers who have or can operate excavators, chainsaws, sky tracks, and other heavy equipment.
We also need volunteers who can weatherproof roofs and property. Sign up through this form or show up with your equipment at 10 am at St. Joseph’s (details below).
ALSO NEEDED BADLY are funds for fuel / gasoline (or gift cards for Walmart work great too). Volunteers are running out of funds for gasoline to run chainsaws and generators and to ferry donated goods and volunteers to where they're most needed. Donations to cover gasoline and related fuel expenses for clean-up volunteers and victims can be made here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/artornado.
Right now, the Rural Caucus’ Disaster Recovery volunteer teams are focusing on helping secure homes and make them safe and livable, primarily in the hardest-hit areas and outskirts of Pulaski County and Lonoke County.
We and many other volunteers from many organizations are working hard — before more storms move in Tuesday — to secure the hundreds of homes that still need trees and debris removed and holes patched up.
MONDAY AND TUESDAY HELPERS:
If you can help Monday, please show up! If you can help any day in the next week, think of us! Check our Facebook page or this blog page for updates.
For Pulaski and Lonoke Counties: If you are able to help with clean-up or related needs or have heavy equipment or tools to lend us, our teams are meeting at 10 am this morning (Monday April 3) at St. Joseph’s Center, the old orphanage building, located at 6800 Camp Robinson Road, North Little Rock. (NOTE: Burns Park exit and park roads are closed, so plan to route around that area.)
If you want to join a work team later in the day or week, text Steve at 870-682-3241.
In Wynne and in Earle, able-bodied helpers are badly needed, as are clean-up and repair equipment, small power tools, and hardware and tarps for patching roof holes, etc. Both towns have asked that volunteer workers check in at their town’s police station.
ARKANSAS TORNADO RECOVERY NEEDS & RESOURCES – Updated Sunday night at 11 pm
Below is a summary of the latest updates we can find from the cities hit the hardest, with details on donation needs and where to get help in Wynne in particular:
WYNNE NEEDS:
Volunteers needed at donation/distribution center, at the community center, and on clean-up crews.
Clean-up volunteers (Monday or anytime in the coming weeks): Contact Ashley Brumley 870-318-0655
Donation/Distribution Center – 187 Murray Ave 8am to 8pm; Counseling center is set up inside the warehouse
Facebook group for the latest info on Wynne relief efforts: Wynne Tornado Distribution Center
Donations needed as of Sunday evening:
· Pop-up tents for the volunteer workers, please bring to Distribution Center, 187 Murray Ave 8am to 8pm
· Air mattresses, all sizes
· Sunscreen-spray for workers
· Reading glasses
· Large Plastic storage bins and tubs
· Battery packs
· Chargers
· First aid kits
· Non-perishable foods
· Blankets
· Pillows
· Gas cans
· Styrofoam coolers
· Power cords
· bungee cords
· Baby food
· Canned goods
*Donations coming in to Wynne from out of town — drop off at:
· Former Sears building, 702 Highway 64 E, Wynne AR
· Fitzgerald Crossing Baptist Church, 422 Highway 1 North, Wynne AR
WYNNE RESOURCES:
· SHELTERS (two, operated by Red Cross):
o Wynne Junior High, 849 Eldridge Ave., Wynne AR 72396
o Wynne First Assembly of God Church, 1900 North Killough Road, Wynne AR 72396
· Second Chance Thrift Store – accepting and distributing clothes, baby items, hygiene products, etc…
· Snack bags, cold food, showers: Wynne Junior High School
· Free hot meals, snacks, basic necessities: Odell McCallum Community Center, 325 Magnolia Ave.
· Free food, water, general support: Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief at Odell McCallum Center, 325 Walnut Ave.https://abscdisasterrelief.org
· Free Spaghetti Dinners on Monday: Williams & K Street
· Free meals: Operation BBQ Relief: OBR.org Dixie Furniture Parking lot, 1512 Falls Blvd., Wynne
· Free food and showers, indefinitely: 417 Union Ave – Clothes, shoes, supplies
· Free Food at the McRig mobile McDonald’s, 9 am – 6 pm Monday through Wednesday, located at the Wynne McDonald’s
LITTLE ROCK:
SHELTER: Red Cross Temporary Shelter: Calvary Baptist Church, 5700 Cantrell Road, Little Rock AR 72207
FREE MEALS: Wolfe Street Center, 1015 Louisiana St., Little Rock. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
FREE RIDES: Rock Region Metro is offering free rides on fixed routes and micro transits through Monday April 3
Donations for Little Rock relief efforts: tinyurl.com/LRcares
Volunteer in Little Rock: tinyurl.com/LRVols
NORTH LITTLE ROCK:
From City Hall via facebook, Sunday evening:
• Burns Park continues to be closed. Please do not try to enter.
• Crews are working diligently to get power and utilities restored. Please be patient as they focus on restoring the damaged infrastructure.
• Volunteer Check-in at Edward’s Cash Saver, 3801 Camp Robinson Road
• Donations may be dropped off at First Assembly of God, 4501 Burrow Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72116
• For animal care, please contact North Little Rock Animal Control: Animalservices@nlr.ar.gov
Please continue to check our FAQ page for updates at: https://zurl.co/x27t