Storms, tornadoes and flooding have wreaked havoc across the country in recent weeks, killing dozens of people, leaving homes and business flattened, and knocking out power for over a million people. Heart to Heart International (HHI) is actively responding to multiple storm-affected communities, providing essential supplies to help people get back on their feet.
Storm Damage at Oklahoma Clinic
One of our portable container clinics is on the move to Great Salt Plains Health Center in Enid, Oklahoma. The health center was recently hit by severe storms, with heavy winds and hail causing damage to their roof and leading to rain inside.
Great Salt Plains Health Center is a vital resource for the community, providing comprehensive healthcare to all, with a special focus on serving the underserved. This temporary clinic will provide much-needed space for medical professionals to continue seeing patients while they get their facility repaired.
Memorial Day Storms
Severe weather and tornadoes impacted portions of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, and Alabama over Memorial Day weekend, causing 26 deaths and leaving up to one million people without power for a time.
HHI has sent more than 7,500 hygiene kits and medical and recovery supplies to partners in Arkansas and Missouri, including the Rogers (Arkansas) Public School System, Missouri Highlands FQHC, SEMO Health Network, and Convoy of Hope.
HHI continues to assess needs in the area and will send additional aid if needed.
Texas Storms
Severe storms caused widespread destruction and left at least eight dead in the Houston area last week. Thunderstorms and hurricane-force winds tore through the city, flattening structures, uprooting trees and shattering thousands of windows on downtown high-rise buildings. A tornado also touched down near the northwest Houston suburb of Cypress. The storms took place as the area was still recovering from flooding caused by heavy rainfall in late April and early May.
HHI is dispatching more than 3,000 hygiene kits to the Houston area at the request of the East Harris County Empowerment Council and other partners. The aid is being sent thanks to the support of FedEx and will be distributed through distribution sites and school districts. The kits contain essential personal care items like soap, shampoo, and toothpaste, providing much-needed relief to families who have been impacted by the devastating storms. Additional medical supplies and hygiene kits are being sent to Tomagwa Health Ministries in the coming week.
April Tornadoes
Tornadoes ripped through the Midwest between April 26 and 28, impacting communities in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. HHI donated 1,350 hygiene kits to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) to support families in Oklahoma. These kits were distributed as part of GEM’s “Necessity Kits,” which include blankets, food, and other essential items.
