As you likely know, many areas of Indiana have been catastrophically impacted by this weekend’s floods. I’m reaching out for help. Two of my closest friends, Woodie Jr. (71), & Woodie Sr. (97), have had nearly everything but the home itself, washed away. Thank God they were rescued by the local fire department (Station 21) by boat early Saturday morning. Woodie Sr. struggles with mobility & almost drowned, as did the 3 neighbors next door. They don’t have insurance. We’ve been so fortunate to get help from some of their closest friends with clean up efforts & are so grateful for them & the volunteer crew with White Water Church who came out to help remove the washer, dryer, stove, fridge, & items damaged strewn all around the house. A woman from the Red Cross came by yesterday to tape off & document the water line that reached above all of our heads. We’ve filled out forms asking for help from local resource agencies to help with efforts to take out the swollen paneling in the house, carpet removal, etc. We’ve reached out to FEMA for assistance, who at the time of me writing this (8/20), say that Indiana isn’t registered as a region applicable for disaster relief & are therefore unable to provide assistance at this time (even though that’s what all news outlets, volunteer workers, & even the governor himself, @MikeBraun have told us to contact). The Woodie’s are staying with Mom and I, & they are safe. That’s what matters most. We’ve rowed to the house everyday since evacuation & were finally able to drive in as of yesterday. We need all hands on deck. We’re applying for beds & household utilities through St Vincent De Paul. If you have any resources I haven’t mentioned or would be willing to donate to help restoration efforts, medical assistance, anything at all would be deeply appreciated.
(Shout out to Indianapolis Fire Department #21, volunteers from the White River Church (specifically Jess, who helped us get basic necessities, & Aaron who helped us all load items into the truck), Eileen with Red Cross who traveled all the way from CA to help with disaster relief efforts, family friends Paris, Jerry, Dave & Ed.
If anyone knows any carpenters, laborers, anyone who may be willing to assist with floor repair, wall repair, ceiling repair, anyone who has used appliances they’d be willing to donate, etc. Literally anything at all would be extremely helpful & I’ll personally find a way to transport anyone or anything.
*Also, if there’s anyone else impacted reading this, please reach out. I’m more than happy to help & have found a community of the most incredible volunteers that are eager to assist.
