Long term disaster committee stepping in to help fill unmet needs

his week will mark four months since the devastating tornadoes that wreaked havoc on a wide swath of western Kentucky on Dec. 10, 2021, including the Bremen community and a small area in Central City.

Volunteers with the Muhlenberg County Long Term Disaster Relief Committee (MCLTDRC) are doing what they can to help people get back into homes and get back on their feet.

Most residents who were affected by the tornadoes have now had the opportunity to file insurance claims, meet with American Red Cross representatives, and apply for assistance through FEMA. There were nearly 80 homes damaged in Bremen with more sustaining damage, and a handful in Central City.

Fundraising efforts by MCLTDRC have brought in donations large and small, to be spent assisting storm survivors with needs beyond what other disaster agencies offer. After all insurance claims are filed, FEMA and American Red Cross applications processed, the MCLTDRC is here to help with persisting unmet needs.

As the slow process of FEMA applications and insurance adjustor visits wraps up, Dr. Freddie Mayes, president of MCLTDRC, said the agency is helping more than 90 individuals and businesses with needs not met by other sources.

“There’s been an initial interview with all of them and then we’ve started second-round interviews,” Mayes said. Trained volunteers act as case managers for the agency, collecting information from those seeking assistance. Their cases then are presented to the committee for approval.

Case managers are meeting with storm survivors at the Bremen Community Center and applications to MCLTDRC are still being accepted. They are available at several locations, including the Bremen Fire Department and the Central City Tourism office. Mayes said the unmet needs committee is meeting weekly to look over recommendations from the case managers.

There have been some opportunities to quickly deal with an issue and close the cases, Mayes said. More than a dozen cases have been closed, with others partially funded, Mayes said.

The committee has helped with real estate closing costs, building materials like fencing, concrete blocks, windows and doors, appliances and furniture. As people move from temporary to permanent housing, the committee is there to help with miscellaneous needs, Mayes said.

The committee has even helped with purchasing or repairing automobiles for storm survivors. “If people have no transportation to get to jobs, we can help with that as well,” Mayes said.

Renters, homeowners, businesses and churches have all been helped by the MCLTRDC, Mayes said. “We have no restrictions about who we can help.”

Mayes said the committee is working hard to be equitable to those in need. Some projects that have only been partially funded might be able to receive more down the road, but they are trying to give some assistance to everyone who has applied first, before expending more on certain individual projects.

An issue facing many as they begin to rebuild is the skyrocketing cost of building materials. Shortages from a spike in covid-lockdown home renovations coupled with lingering supply chain issues are driving up costs, making many appear to be underinsured when trying to rebuild a home comparable to what they lost.

Donations continue to come in to the MCLTDRC, Mayes said. A former county resident with a business in Lexington held a donation weekend recently, and raised $20,000 for the relief effort. Another former resident who is an artist held an auction for a painting and raised more than $9,000 for the committee, Mayes said.

To donate to the Muhlenberg County Long Term Disaster Relief Committee, see a link on their Facebook page. To apply for assistance, download a form from their Facebook page, or pick one up at the Bremen Fire Department, the Muhlenberg County Water District #3 office in Bremen, or at the Central City Tourism office.