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Samaritan’s Purse writer Leah Lohse recounts her experiences covering our flood relief in the Midwest. Click here to read her blog.

As the waters recede, quick response is critical. Water damaged carpet, sheetrock, and insulation are breeding grounds for toxic mold spores. Many residents, who saw tornadoes rip through the region less than a month ago, are overwhelmed by the arduous task of clean up.

“A tornado is like a heart attack,” said homeowner Mary Dickens, whose Cedar Falls home was affected by the floodwaters. “Flood damage is like cancer.”

In this critical time, Samaritan’s Purse is responding. Our volunteers and staff are mudding out homes in Columbus, Indiana, and two of our disaster relief units—mobile command centers carrying relief equipment and supplies—will arrive in Iowa on Saturday. Our first volunteer team will begin working in Cedar Falls the same day.

We are partnering with Cedar Falls’ Prairie Lakes Church, which assisted with our tornado response in nearby Parkersburg in late May. The church has distributed 1,500 fliers to inform residents that Samaritan’s Purse is ready to help, and they have designated a phone number to be staffed seven days a week for those needing assistance.

We are currently looking for a church partner in Cedar Rapids, and volunteers are desperately needed in all locations to assist in the recovery efforts.

The Des Moines Register reported that Iowa’s floods have killed 18 people and displaced more than 38,000 people since May 25. The disaster has caused billions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses, farms, and infrastructure. Emergency management officials have stated that this could be the regions biggest economic disaster in decades. Iowa has lost $2.7 billion in crops, and in many places it is too late to replant. Most of these farmers have also sustained major damage to their homes.

Connie Erpelding, care director at Prairie Lakes Church, said the partnership between her church and Samaritan’s Purse is an opportunity to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to homeowners devastated by the floods.

“Obviously we want to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people,” she said, “but our ultimate goal is that God is glorified in it all.”

Samaritan's Purse , United States , U.S. Disaster Relief , Responding Across the Midwest