(From our news partner, KWQC-TV 6) Those wishing to volunteer with flood assistance can do so by calling the Scott County Emergency Management Agency at 563-484-3086. "Your skills will be matched with current locations needing assistance," officials said in a release. "Upon arrival at the volunteer site, you should anticipate having to sign in and provide your name. This is required in case the event qualifies for potential Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement in the future." Those who own a business or those who are residents requiring volunteer assistance, you can call Scott County Emergency Management Agency at 563-484-3098. Officials say the call center will be staffed between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. until further notice. If you're looking to provide donated items, please contact the Salvation Army at 309-566-0305.
The Quad Cities Community Foundation is currently accepting contributions to the Quad Cities Disaster Recovery Fund to support nonprofit organizations meeting the needs of Quad Citizens impacted by the levee breach and flooding that recently hit the area. In coordination with needs identified by the Long Term Recovery Committee of the Quad Cities COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters), the Community Foundation will make grants to nonprofits so that they have the resources they need to meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations impacted in the months ahead. Donations to the fund—which will directly support nonprofits meeting the needs of those impacted by the flooding—are being accepted at www.qccommunityfoundation.org and at the Community Foundation’s office at 852 Middle Road, Suite 100, in Bettendorf.
The Quad Cities Community Foundation continues to encourage Quad Citizens to give to relief efforts through the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other local organizations providing immediate support. “Thanks to the generosity of people across our community, we will be able to access dollars from our Quad Cities Disaster Recovery Fund and provide reassurance to a number of nonprofits in our community that they will have additional financial support to assist their work on the ground in long-term,” said Sherry Ristau, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Our team at the Community Foundation continues to be in touch with nonprofits we have close relationships with to ensure they are supported as our communities recover from the flooding.”
Ristau said the Community Foundation will continue to look at ways they can proactively support nonprofits in their efforts, including partnering with other funders in the region.
The Quad Cities Disaster Recovery Fund was created in the fall of 2016 so that the Community Foundation could provide flexible support to ensure the survival of organizations serving people impacted by disasters—natural or man-made—who were vulnerable populations before the disaster occurred. The recovery of a community after a disaster can take months—sometimes even years. The fund supports nonprofits in their long-term efforts, and help people return to normal, or an even better “new normal.”
Community members are encouraged to give to the fund online at www.qccommunityfoundation.org, and follow the Community Foundation on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the fund.