Communities are scrambling to assess the damage after one of the worst tornado events in state history swept across western Kentucky on Dec. 11.
The state has announced that 77 Kentuckians are confirmed dead. Thousands of Kentuckians remain without power and many are without shelter.
By the end of December, communities were “overflowing” with donations and supplies, according to local emergency management officials. They ask that people delay physical donations, and consider giving money instead.
Here’s how you can help:
Categories: Donate to disaster relief funds, donate blood, donate supplies, donate toys, volunteer, support pets/animals, community help lines, report price gouging
Donate to disaster relief funds
Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund
Kentucky Red Cross:
- Donate onlinehere
- Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
- To donate by phone via credit card or to ask questions about donating money to the Red Cross, please call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669)
Verified GoFundMe pages created by community members and organizations in need
His House Ministries (Mayfield, Ky)
Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief
Shop Local Kentucky - purchase a "Kentucky Strong" T-shirt and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund
Salvation Army Disaster Relief
Relevant Church (Mayfield, KY)
Rise and Shine (Bowling Green, KY)
SOS, a Louisville-based global health organization
Global Giving Midwest US Tornado Relief Fund
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Samaritan's Purse International Relief
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort
Water with Blessings - Text WATER4SURVIVORS to 41444
Kentucky Chamber Foundation & Kentucky Sports Radio tornado relief fund
Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (collecting donations for long-term care staff who have been impacted by the storm)
Donate blood
Kentucky Red Cross: Find your local blood bank here
Kentucky Blood Center: Find a drive here
Blood Assurance: Schedule and appointment here
Donate clothes, blankets, food, water and other supplies
NOTE: Officials in western Kentucky have asked that people delay donating physical goods.
Since the need may resume in the future, WFPL will continue to maintain this page. But officials ask that organizations holding donation drives first contact the community they intend to donate to and ensure they can receive and distribute the items.
Before donating goods, consider asking the organization whether they've ensured the donation is welcome at this time. If your organization is listed here and no longer collecting, contact jdemers@kycir.org to be removed.
*Suggested donations include gas, generators, storage bins/totes, space heaters, lash lights, head lamps, batteries, propane tanks, utility gloves, phone chargers, gas cans, socks, undergarments, blankets, coats, warm clothes, shoes, toiletries, paper towels, plastic utensils, paper plates, feminine hygiene products, baby formula, diapers, wipes, water, snacks, non-perishable foods.
The Salvation Army Kentucky/Tennessee Division
Northside Baptist Church, 611 W Lockridge St, Mayfield, KY
Fairview Baptist Church, 701 West Water Street, Mayfield, KY
Mayfield/Graves County Fairgrounds, 1004 KY 121, Mayfield, KY 42066
Redemption City Church, 104 Railroad Ave., Dawson Springs KY, 270-425-4310
Dawson Spring High School, 317 Eli St, Dawson Springs, KY 42408
Mount Zion Baptist Church, 175 Graham Dr., Bowling Green, KY
Next Level Church, 1405 Veterans Memorial ln., Bowling Green, KY
The Johnson Bar, 133 S. 3rd St. Paducah, KY. 42001
First Baptist Church, 2890 Broadway St, Paducah, KY, 270-442-2728
Dry Ground Brewing Company, 3121 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001
Paducah Beer Werks, 301 N 4th St, Paducah, KY 42001
Lone Oak Baptist Church, 3601 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42003
Community Kitchen, 1237 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Paducah, KY
Barrel & Bond, 100 Broadway Paducah, KY 42001
Stepstone Family and Youth Services, 78 Caky Dr, Benton, KY, 270-527-8388
Central Elementary School, 115 Jim Goheen Road Benton, KY 42025 (accepting donations on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Jefferson County Public Schools, VanHoose Education Center, 3332 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218 (accepting donations from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m through Friday)
Against the Grain Smokehouse, 401 E. Main St. & Against the Grain Public House, 1576 Bardstown Rd., Louisville, KY
Veteran's Club Inc., 9419 Seatonville rd. at Fern Creek Christian Church, Louisville, KY 40291
Four Pegs Smokehouse and Bar, 1053 Goss Ave, Louisville, KY 40217
Hampton Inn – Louisville Airport, 800 Phillips Ln. (delivering supplies to Graves County Fairgrounds)
Independence Bank, 3901 Shelbyville Rd., Louisville, KY and 1900 Colonel Sanders Ln., Louisville, KY
Roebling Point Books, 601 Overton Street, Newport, KY 41071
Newport Fire Department, 998 Monmouth St, Newport, KY 41071
Walnut Grove Baptist Church, 2941 Highland Lick Rd, Russellville, KY
Akridge Farm Supply, 724 Fairview Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038, 270-388-2910 - Looking specifically for tarps and gas cans
Cave City Community Center (Senior Center), 105 Duke St, Cave City, KY 42127
Jamestown City Park Batting Cages, 123 Park Ave, Jamestown, KY 42629 (drop off from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday through Thursday)
Russell Springs City Hall, 487 Main Street, Russell Springs, KY 42642 (drop off from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday)
St. Jerome's Catholic Church, 20 KY-339, Fancy Farm, KY 42039
Water drive at Pritchard Community Center, 404 S Mulberry St, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 (need cases of bottled water)
Felix Martin Hall, 501 W. Everly Brothers Blvd., Greenville, KY. 42345
Kentucky Education Development Corporation, Ashland office (904 Rose Road) and Lexington Office (118 James Court Ste 60)
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, 208 South Main Street, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
Georgetown Fire Department, 101 Jacobs Drive, Georgetown, KY (accepting donations all week)
Clarksville Town Hall, 2000 Broadway Street, Clarksville, IN, (accepting donation Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Hope 2 All Food Pantry, 307 W. Mose Rager Blvd. Drakesboro, KY 42337
Henderson County Schools/Henderson Police Department, 735 N. Elm St., Henderson, KY (will fill a bus to deliver to Dawson Springs, can drop off 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Oh Sew Sweet Boutique, 210 East Arch Street, Madisonville, Ky.
Donate items for children/youth
Louisville PTO Coats and Book Drive. Highland Cleaners, 2457 Bardstown Rd., Louisville, KY or 4007 Brownsboro Rd., Louisville, KY (Coast and books only. In-person donations accepted through Jan. 7)
Volunteer
***Advisory: Please avoid obstructing search and rescue efforts by calling/checking-in beforehand***
Kentucky Emergency Management - Fill out the volunteer/donate link here
Kentucky State Parks - Email andy.kasitz@ky.gov to volunteer to help displaced families
Mayfield Independent School District- Need translators, mainly for Spanish speaking families, email wecanhelp@mayfield.kyschools.us or call 270-804-1381
Catalyst Church, 114 Kings Dr., Mayfield, KY, (270) 356-1191
South Warren High School, 8140 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, 270-467-7500
Bremen Volunteer Fire Department, 51 College St., Bremen, KY 42325, 270-525-6002
Lone Oak Baptist Church, 3601 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42003
Bowling Green Community Action Center, 171 Center St, Bowling Green, KY, 270-782-4437
Gasper Brewing Company, 302 State Street, Bowling Green, KY. - need volunteers to serve food
Mayfield City Hall, 211 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY - Volunteers needed with drills
Marshall County High School, 416 High School Rd. Benton, KY 42025 (volunteers will be shuttled to impacted areas starting at 7 a.m. daily.)
Kentucky Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
God's Pit Crew - Crisis Response Team
Team Rubicon Disaster Response
Covenant Community Church, 1055 North Main Street, Madisonville, KY, 270-821-2000
Mercy Chefs - Mayfield, KY Tornado Response (shifts available throughout the week)
Samaritan's Purse International Relief
Kentucky Tornado Relief Initiative by Senate candidate Charles Booker
Eight Days of Hope - Rapid Response Event (Mayfield, KY)
Support pets/animals in need
The Humane Society Animal Rescue & Response Team
Foster a pet or donate to these local shelters:
- Mayfield-Graves County Animal Shelter
- Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society
- Hopkins County Humane Society
- Caldwell County Animal Shelter
- Muhlenburg County Animal Shelter
Ceglinski Animal Clinic, 5401 Blandville Rd., Paducah, KY, 270-554-0171 (offering free housing for displaced pets)
River Retriever Kennels LLC, 5796 Old Mayfield Rd., Paducah, KY, 270-556-4433 (offering housing for displaced pets)
Marcus Rushing, 224 Hughes Rd., Wickliffe, KY, 985-605-4068 (has pasture and barn for cattle/horses, free of charge to victims of the tornadoes)
Mociso Farms Livestock Sanctuary & Rescue Ltd., 595 Osborne Rd. Ekron, Ky. (drop off pet supplies, food and any other items for disaster relief from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Refer community members in distress to these help lines
SAMHSA - Call or text 1-800-985-5990
Report Price Gouging
It's illegal for retailers to bump up the prices of certain things during an emergency. If you see it happening you canreport it online or call 1-888-432-9257. Per the Kentucky Attorney General's office, goods and services in this prohibition include: consumer food items; goods or services used for emergency cleanup; emergency supplies; medical supplies; home heating oil; building materials; housing; transportation, freight, and storage services; and gasoline or other motor fuels.
This is an evolving list of ways that community members can help in the disaster relief effort. This post will be updated. Contact Jasmine Demers at jdemers@kycir.org with suggested additions.
