A message from the Family Resource & Youth Services Coalition of Kentucky in collaboration w/ the Kentucky Division of Family Resource & Youth Services Centers

The devastation of this weekend’s tornadoes is catastrophic and unimaginable. A large swath of damage and destruction cuts across the Commonwealth. The FRYSCKY Coalition acknowledges that coordinators across the state are ready and willing to offer assistance, but are also looking for direction for how to best help. The Coalition Board also realizes that for those centers closest to the affected centers already have relationships with their neighboring centers and have already jumped to action. However, we also acknowledge there are many more who want to help, but are not feasibly capable of collecting items and driving them to the west. Therefore, after connecting with some coordinators in the hardest hit areas over the weekend, we have developed a list of the immediate needs. We also understand this will be a long term recovery and many needs will extend far behind the immediate support provided by the Red Cross and emergency support agencies. You can help with the immediate and/or the long-term needs. Here are the details.

Immediate Needs
Here is a list of the most critical and immediate needs. You can ship items currently in your possession or you can order items (Amazon, Walmart, etc.) and have them shipped. You’ll find the shipping addresses at this end of this document.

• Grocery & Gas Gift Cards (e.g. Kroger, Meijer, Walmart)
• Socks
• Underwear (men, women, & children)
• Shoes (all sizes)
• Blankets
• Coats
• Tarps
• Plastic Totes/Tubs
• Water
• Hygiene Items (including hair care supplies for ethnic people)
*Important Note: While our centers always welcome gently used clothing to share with our families via our clothing closets. For this particular situation the Centers are requesting that you only donate the clothing items listed above and that these items be new. Clothing (pants/shirts/dresses) while important are not the most needed items, since many people do not have a home to put their clothing.

Long Term Support
Cash donations will be important, as there are family needs that are not material in nature, i.e. housing, medical, funeral costs, etc. With any natural disaster, there is a large infusion of support in the immediate aftermath, but the needs continue for weeks and months. This fund is intended to provide support to local FRYSCs who can assist individuals and families in recovering and sustaining. For those who wish to also provide support towards the long term recovery, the Coalition has established a “Support a Kentucky FRYSC” account where individuals and organizations can send donations. These funds will be managed by the Coalition’s Finance Committee and will be distributed to any center that has families impacted by the disaster. The Coalition will establish clear guidelines on how this money will be distributed and the financial records for these donations will be available for review for any who wish. Send your monetary donation: Support a Kentucky FRYSC Donation Link

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE: GIVE BLOOD!
This is a critical need! Please consider hosting a blood drive in your community or at your school.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Here are some important resources to support our mental health needs in the aftermath of this disaster.
• Mental Health Talk Line: 1-800-273-TALK or text “KY” 741741 if in crisis.
• American Psychological Association:
Managing Traumatic Stress: After a Tornado

SHIPPING ADDRESSES*
Here are the shipping details for any of the immediate need items that you and/or school/church/community groups want to send to the impacted sites.
Graves County / Mayfield Area
Shipping Location #1
Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds
1001 Housman Street
Mayfield, KY 42066
Shipping Location #2
His House Ministries
1250 State Route 303
Mayfield, KY 42066

Warren County / Bowling Green
Todd Hazel, Director of Student Services
Warren County Public Schools
303 Lovers Lane
Bowling Green, KY 42103

Muhlenberg County / Greenville
Contact Ashley Romans, FRC Coordinator, for details.
Ashley.Romans@muhlenberg.kyschools.us
270-977-2727

Hopkins County / Dawson Springs
Contact Jonathon Storms, FRYSC Coordinator, for details.
Jonathon.Storms@dawsonsprings.kyschools.us
270-875-0892

* The districts currently listed above are those who have responded to our outreach and who provided delivery addresses or contact information. We will update the information with other district contacts as they are shared with us. Also, ANY center in the impacted areas will be eligible to receive funds that are collected by the FRYSC Coalition as part of this effort.