Indian Lake Tornado Victims Invited to Apply for United Way Assistance

Logan County households impacted by the March 14 tornado that ripped through the Indian Lake region are invited to apply for financial assistance through United Way’s Indian Lake Tornado Relief Fund. Intake will occur by appointment only at the Multi-Agency Resource Center established for tornado victims, which is moving to 431 Madison Avenue in Russells Point. Victims can schedule an appointment online at this link: https://www.uwlogan.org/indian-lake-tornado-community-response or by calling (937) 592-2886.

Financial assistance is available for needs including:

Housing expenses, including rent, mortgage, security deposit, hotel expenses
Home repair, including insurance deductible
Auto expenses, including car repair, car payment, down payment, insurance deductible
Prescription Medication
Utilities
Student hardship fees
Pet care
Other living expenses as deemed appropriate during in-take

Appointments will occur at the Multi-Agency Resource Center in conjunction with other state and local agencies so that victims can bundle and maximize the help they can receive. Residents needing transportation to an appointment can call Lift Delivery at 937-722-1347 for a free ride.

The financial assistance comes from donations made to United Way’s Indian Lake Tornado Relief Fund, which has raised $1,130,337 in the three weeks since the devastating storm. That’s more than United Way of Logan County raised all of last year. Pledges from individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations have poured in from 40 states coast to coast. 100 percent of all money donated to the Relief Fund will be used to support immediate and long-term recovery efforts, with an emphasis to be placed on identifying and fulfilling unmet needs.

“On behalf of the Indian Lake Tornado Relief Committee, we thank all the outside donors for your support to create this opportunity,” said Brenda Moots, owner of Indian Lake Outfitters & The Depot in Lakeview. “Our goal is to assist as many families as possible with full transparency, representation, and immediate need to our Indian Lake area residents. We know this isn’t a fix all answer to everyone’s situation. It won’t completely address the large number of displaced families or their wide spread needs. But it is certainly a good start that offers hope and assists with more immediate need while the community works through avenues of other funding possibilities.”

Moots joined other tornado victims from each affected neighborhood and leaders from the Indian Lake community this week to determine the criteria for how the Relief Funds would be spent.

Committee members include:

Dave Coburn – Indian Lake Schools
Pastor Jim Ellington – Indian Lake Community Church
Dale Frymeyer – Choice Properties Real Estate / Indian Lake Development Corporation
Suzanne Gillespie – Shoreline Construction
Cynthia Heffner – Logan County Department of Job & Family Services
Rachel Kubic – Hanna Howard Real Estate / Indian Lake Development Corporation
Scott Mohler – Lift Delivery
Brenda Moots – Indian Lake Outfitters
Amy Musil – LuLu’s at the Lake
Tim O’Rielley – CoverLink Insurance / United Way Allocations Chair
Rick Powers – NX Automotive Logistics / United Way Board Member
Katie Rychener – Unit-Ten / United Way Board Member
Corey VanHoose – CenterPoint Energy / United Way Board Member

Also present were Dave Bezusko- United Way of Logan County, Ashley Spence – United Way of Logan County and Bobbi Jo Trittschuh – Honda.