On March 31, a tornado ripped through the heart of Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Wynne, leaving hundreds of residents displaced and unsure of where to turn for help.
The beauty in the disaster can be found simply by looking to the left and the right of those who were hit the hardest. Oftentimes you can see the people who need help the most, lending their already wounded hands to their neighbors.
As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships, and those words are never truer than when a community of people are in need. From pop-up fish fries to fundraisers, it seems like all our differences fade away in the wake of unspeakable tragedy.
Many local businesses around Central Arkansas have stepped up and have donated their facilities and donated from their pocketbooks to provide resources to those in need during this difficult time. We wanted to put as many of those in one place as we can and provide you with a list of where you can find those resources and some helpful tips that you may not have already been aware of before now.
One of the most unsettling things a person can deal with is how to pay for any repairs or replacements that they have following the disaster. If you have insurance, it is important to file a claim immediately so that the damages and losses can be assessed and repair costs and replacement values can be determined.
If you don’t have insurance, you can apply for assistance through FEMA at 4698 | FEMA.gov. This kind of assistance can help you with paying for any hotel costs as well as serve as a resource for renters who may not know what to do next.
As we said before, the local community has come together in a variety of ways. There are tons of local restaurants providing free meals and places like 10 Fitness are opening their doors for any local that is needing a hot shower or to charge their devices.
Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock has opened the doors of the City Center daily to provide:
- Free Meals
- Mental Health Resources
- Clothes
- Assistance with recovering lost IDs & other important documents
Goodwill locations around Central Arkansas are accepting donations as always, but are asking specifically for:
- Non-perishable food items
- Water
- Hygiene products
- Baby items
You can also help the recovery process by going to www.littlerock.gov/volunteer to find out how you can help those in need around the city.
For those people that may be affected outside of Little Rock, go to http://pulaskicounty.net to find out where to get supplies in North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Jacksonville.
No matter how you may have been affected by this disaster, we all have a part to play in the recovery process. You never know when you will need the help of the community around you, and helping those in need is the best way to start the support circle in your own life.
