Want to help Kentucky tornado & storm victims? Here’s how

Gov. Andy Beshear and other local leaders urged Kentuckians to stay away from storm-damaged areas as clogged streets are starting to slow rescue and recovery efforts.

The governor thanked those who have helped across the country and Kentuckians can feel their love in a press conference Monday. He told Western Kentucky storm victims that everyone in Kentucky and in the country is standing with them.

“To the people of Western Kentucky, we’re not going anywhere,” Beshear said. “We’re going to be with you today. We’re going to be with you tomorrow and we’re going to be there with you to rebuild.”

Kentuckians who want to help cities and counties affected by Friday and early Saturday morning tornadoes should donate blood, which is in short supply, and give money toward relief efforts, Beshear and local officials said.

“Go give blood,” said Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon. Warren was one of the many Kentucky counties hit hard by tornadoes. “Please stay off the roads. Let police, firefighters do their jobs.”

Donation of supplies is also discouraged at this time because there is not enough staff to manage those efforts. Western Kentucky roadways also need to remain clear.

Kentucky State Police have also asked people not to call state police posts to ask how they can help. Those phone lines need to remain open for people who need police help.

How to donate blood in Kentucky

Beshear said many Kentucky hospitals are treating storm victims and need more blood. Blood supplies have run dangerously low throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

To find a blood donation center in your area, go to the Red Cross Blood Center website at redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements.html and type in your zip code.

Or go to the Kentucky Blood Center website at kybloodcenter.org or Blood Assurance website at bloodassurance.org. Fazoli’s will give a free small spaghetti to people who donate blood at Andover Blood Center and the Beaumont Blood Center in Lexington Monday to Saturday.

How to donate to Red Cross, Western Kentucky Relief funds

Kentuckians can donate to the Red Cross, which is currently mobilizing in many Western Kentucky counties, by going to redcross.org/local/kentucky. Donations can be directed to Kentucky relief efforts or to particular Kentucky counties.

On Saturday, Beshear announced the creation of a new state-wide relief fund. Team Western Kentucky Relief Fund will go directly to Kentucky tornado victims with no administrative fees taken out. Go to teamwkyrelieffund.ky.gov to donate. To mail in a donation, send check to Public Protection Cabinet, 500 Mero Street, 218 NC, Frankfort, KY 40601, with a note “Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund.” As of Monday morning, more than 31,000 people donated more than $4 million to the fund.

Beshear said spending of the fund will be “fully transparent.” The first expenditure of the fund will be $5,000 to go to burial expenses for each family that lost a loved one during the storms.

Kentucky Sports Radio and the Kentucky Chamber Foundation partnered up to created a KSR Tornado Relief Fund. To donate, go to kychamber.com/ksrtornadorelief or mail a check made out to Kentucky Chamber Foundation to 464 Chenault Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 with ATTN to the Tornado Relief Fund. The fund has raised more than $30,000 as of Monday morning. Kentucky Chamber also has made a resource page for other ways to help.

Community Foundation of West Kentucky, based out of Paducah, is also accepting donations through its Disaster Relief Fund. Donors can also mail a check to Community Foundation of West Kentucky, CFWK Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 7, Paducah, KY 42001 or drop off donations at US Bank Building, 333 Broadway, Suite 503, Paducah.

For organizations or companies that has services or products they would like to donate, they can call the Kentucky Emergency Management at 502-697-6600.

United Way of Kentucky set up a Disaster Recovery Fund with 100% of donations going to support Kentucky families in need.

The Salvation Army is collecting donations to help with victims of the tornadoes. All donations go to relief efforts.

Several GoFundMe pages have been set up to help with tornado relief in Mayfield. Mayfield resident Steven Elder, who recently chaired Fancy Fair, is collecting donations for the Mayfield Community Foundation through GoFundMe or by checks sent to First Kentucky Bank c/o Mayfield Community Foundation.

Wisconsin Badgers basketball player Chris Vogt started a GoFundMe to help his hometown of Mayfield.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine student Abbigayle Rawls, of Bowling Green, also created a GoFundMe page to collect donations for families impacted. The fund has already raised about $75,000.

Kentucky Restaurant Association set up a GoFundMe to collect donations to distribute to restaurants affected by the storms. The fund, organized by Stacy Roof of Louisville, has collected more than $7,000 as of Monday morning.

Nonprofit CARE is collecting donations to provide water, food, shelter and cash assistance to families in need through a Tornado Emergency Fund.

Lexington’s Condado Tacos restaurant at The Summit at Fritz Farm will donate 10 percent of its dine-in sales Monday and Tuesday to the American Red Cross Kentucky Disaster Relief Fund.

How to help Western Kentucky

For those wanting to volunteer following the tornadoes, they can call Kentucky Division of Emergency Management at 311 or fill out a survey on its website.

Appalachians for Appalachian created a spreadsheet for mutual aids and giving lists, which is regularly updated.

Forward Kentucky also has complied a list by county of how to help.

Graves County Office of Emergency Management has a sign-up form for volunteers to assist with food and supplies, equipment or machinery, communications, search and rescue, medical help, and electrical or plumbing. Graves County Fiscal Court Facebook page posted additional ways to help.

Beshear said Kentucky State Parks Pennyrile in Dawson Springs, Kenlake in Hardin, Kentucky Dam Village in Gilbertsville, Barren River Lake in Lucas, John James Audubon in Henderson and Rough River Dam in Rough will need volunteers to staff the parks and help with washing dishes and clothes. Contact Andy Kasitz of Kentucky State Parks at 502-418-3581 or andy.kasitz@ky.gov. They are also working to open Lake Barkley in Cadiz.

U.S. Senate Candidate Charles Booker has created a sign-up for those who want to help victims at charlesbooker.org/relief.

Eastern Kentucky schools are collecting donated items through Wednesday to send to families and students in Western Kentucky. Each school district has a specific items, which include toys, personal hygiene items, blankets and water, that can be dropped off at the schools.

Kentucky Teachers in The Know is packing a bus, by requesting donations of $1 from their 24,000 members to go to public schools impacted by the tornadoes.

Connecting victims with help

Several Facebook group have popped up to connect victims of the Western Kentucky storms with help, missing family members and lost items

Storm Damage 12.10.21, created by Joy-Blake Zeiter of Benton, has hundreds of posts from victim’s family members asking for help finding those still missing, sharing information about donations and offering places to stay, clothes, food and more.

Quad State Tornado Found Items posts photos, important documents and paintings that were picked up by the tornadoes and found miles away to attempt to return them back to its owner. The member’s post also ask for specific help or ways to donate items.

KentuckyCare will have clinics open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday in Mayfield and Murray to provide medication and medical assistance. It will also be deploying a mobile clinic in Mayfield.

Kentucky State Police receiving overwhelming amount of calls

Kentucky State Police is asking those who want to volunteer after the Western Kentucky tornado to call 270-331-1979, and those who want to donate to call 270-297-7772 or 270-331-0945.

They ask for volunteers and donors not to call the Kentucky State Police, Post 1 Dispatch or 911 to leave the lines open for those needing assistance.

Bowling Green Fire Department also asked those who want to volunteer to send it a Facebook message with their name, type of assistance they can offer and contact info, instead of calling their fire stations.

This story was originally published December 11, 2021 at 6:02 PM.

Beth Musgrave

Lexington Herald-Leader

Beth Musgrave has covered government and politics for the Herald-Leader for more than a decade. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has worked as a reporter in Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois and Washington D.C. Support my work with a digital subscription