Victims of the recent floods that have ravaged the state may now have a new hope.
Lilly Endowment Inc. announced on June 23 that it would be giving $50 million dollars towards Indiana storm relief.
The grant will give $45 million to the Indiana Association of United Ways, as well as additional 2.5 million dollars each to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
The separate branches of the United Way are currently assessing the problem in each county to find out how much each area will need for relief.
“We have been working closely with FEMA and the Red Cross, as well as individuals in every area to gather information on all the losses, and utilize our strong relationship with Lilly to get the funding Monroe county will need,” said Barry Lessow, the executive director of the United Way in Monroe County.
The money given by Lilly for storm aid will not be able to cover all of the damages that have occurred throughout the entire state though.
“These funds will come after people have utilized any other funds they have access to, like FEMA or flood insurance, so our funds will go towards what is uncovered,” Lessow said.
The Red Cross began work immediately after the flooding to provide timely relief for those desperately in need of help.
“In terms of the American Red Cross working along with the United Way, the Red Cross is the first one on the scene to give mass care and to provide emergency needs for those in trouble,” said Sue Gulley, the executive director of the Red Cross in Monroe County.
Since the beginning of the outbreak of severe weather in Indiana this year, the Red Cross has been working around the clock to provide relief for individuals who have been affected by the storms.
“We have set up shelters, met one on one with individuals, and provided food, clothing, and health services to those in need early on in the disaster,” said Dorsey Hart, chief of development for the Red Cross in Indianapolis.
The Red Cross has been providing relief before the grant was given by Lilly Endowment Inc. So the money they will receive from Lilly will not only go towards relief, but also to build funds for future preparedness.
“The Red Cross does not wait for the money to come in, we rely on support from the community to allow us to provide aid,” Hart said.
The first round of funding from the Indiana Association of United Ways will be in increments of $100,000 for more immediate concerns in different counties and areas where it is necessary. Then upon further evaluation, larger grants will be given based on factors like scale and type of damage, local demographics and needs, and available resources.
“These are really personal disasters, and we are here to help as much as we can until we can turn the long term care over to the community itself,” Gulley said.
