News : Flood Recovery Update

By Linda Fischer Recovery efforts continue for flood impacted homes and businesses. On Saturday, October 8th the city will be removing sandbags from the city's right of way. Home owners and businesses are asked to get the sandbags moved onto the city right of way for Saturday's cleanup. The city of Vinton will be hauling away the sandbags. The Benton County Disaster Recovery Coalition is working with various organizations to respond to the disaster, including assisting families that have been impacted and coordinating with agencies on cleanup and recovery efforts. Locally, the Salvation Army and Red Cross have been providing clean up kits and information for the flood. A canopy has been set up in the Vinton Municipal Parking Lot located at 3rd Ave and East 4th Street in Vinton. Individuals who need help with sandbag removal and flood cleanup in their homes are asked to call the 211 Hotline. Call 211 on your phone and if you are not connected, call 319-739-4211 and provide the operator with your location. The information will be relayed to local Salvation Army volunteers who will arrange for volunteers to help families with clean up and sand bag removal. In addition, volunteers are needed to help with the cleanup efforts on Saturday, October 8th. Anyone who would like to volunteer is asked to sign up through the East Central Iowa United Way by going to their website: www.uweci.org. They will relay information on to local Salvation Army members coordinating cleanup efforts. Any new updates or reminders for Saturday's cleanup will be placed on the Benton County Disaster Recovery Coalition's Facebook page and local news media. In addition, November 7th is the deadline for families impacted by the flood to apply to the Iowa Individual Assistance Program, by contacting Phone: 319-739-1521 or www.hacap.org. Families who meet income guidelines may be eligible for assistance. Families are asked to also apply with the Benton County Disaster Recovery Coalition by contacting Sherry Adam, Case Manager for Coalition at phone: 319-241-5121. The Coalition continues to assist families impacted by the summer tornado and is now also assisting families impacted by the flood. There are not income guidelines for the Coalition, but need must be demonstrated. Individuals who are stressed and need someone to talk to can call the Abbe Center for Community Health at 319-472-5226 or the Iowa Helpline at 1-855-800-1239 (talk/text) or iowacrisischat.org (chat). The Benton County Disaster Recovery Coalition is a 501(c) (3) organization formed after the flood of 2008 to assist families impacted by multi-dwelling disasters. It is Benton County's long term disaster recovery organization to assist families in the county who have been impacted by disasters and have unmet needs after all other sources of funds have been exhausted. The organization works directly with Benton County Emergency Management. It operates solely on grants and private donations. Anyone who would like to make monetary donations to the Benton County Disaster Recovery Coalition to assist in local flood recovery efforts for families can mail donations to: P.O. Box 125, Vinton, IA 52349. Questions about donations can be directed to Teresa Floyd, 319-443-3570. All funds are used in Benton County.