Flooding at the Seward County Fairgrounds on March 14.
The The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and Nebraska Preparedness Partnership are managing resources for Nebraska flood relief in an effort to consolidate donations and get them to all affected parts of the state instead of to just a few areas.
To donate items or money, or to request resources, go to www.nebraska.gov/nebraska-strong.
Register hours
Volunteers helping to clean up after recent flooding across the state are encouraged to register with the Crisis Clean-Up Hotline at 833-556-2476 to help relief efforts spread to all areas where they are needed.
If Nebraska receives an emergency declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state will be required to contribute, and volunteer hours could count.
Volunteers should record their hours and submit them to a volunteer reception center with a list of names, times worked, where and what they did.
Organized groups can register with the Crisis Clean-Up Hotline and will be connected to work tickets where additional help is needed.
Resources
• Farmers in need of hay, feed, fencing materials, volunteer help and equipment should call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 1-800-831-0550.
• Businesses can call the U.S. Chamber’s Disaster Help Desk for Business at 1-888-692-4943.
• The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has set up a hotline for general questions from the public. It may be reached at (402) 817-1551.
• If you have an emergency, dial 911.
• For all other needs for assistance, call 211.
• Additional resources are available at www.nema.nebraska.gov and wwwq.nda.nebraska.gov/resources.
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension has information available for cleaning up after a flood. Go to https://flood.unl.edu and click on the tabs for families and individuals, homeowners, businesses and communities or agriculture.
Give locally
Seward, Milford and Centennial public schools are collecting items and funding to distribute to those in affected areas.
• Seward is collecting cleaning supplies like disinfectant spray, wipes, bleach and garbage bags, toiletries, diapers, bottled water, sports drinks and nonperishable food items.
Donations may be dropped off Thursday and Friday, March 21-22, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to noon and Sunday, March 24, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Take donations to the northwest side of the high school by the green house or to any school office. Items will be taken to northeast Nebraska on Monday, March 25. Checks should be made out to Verdigre Disaster Relief Fund.
• In Milford, the Student Council is collecting similar items—paper towels, mops, diapers, wipes, buckets, water and other supplies.
Donations may be dropped off at the elementary or high school office by Friday, March 22.
• Centennial is collecting monetary donations with a goal of raising $1,000 for flood victims. Donations may be taken to the school office.
Clean-up locally
• Seward County 4-H clubs and others are volunteering to help clean the fairgrounds in Seward, which sustained flood damage to buildings and the grounds.
Contact the Seward County Extension Office for dates and times, as the weather and number of people available may affect their clean-up schedule.
The office may be reached at (402) 643-2981.
• The Seward VFW Buddy Check invites the community to help clean up the fairgrounds this Saturday, March 23, beginning at 10 a.m.
“The community has helped the veterans, and now we’re calling on the veterans to help the community,” Nick Werman, a Buddy Check organizer said.
The group has reached out to Concordia University and Seward High School to recruit volunteers, and the general public is also encouraged to help out.
“We might as well get people down there. If we get 20 people or 200 people, we can put them to work,” Werman said.
If enough people show up, crews may be sent to the ballfields or other areas in the city to help with clean-up.
Wear boots, gloves, long pants and sleeves. Bring shovels, rakes, rags or other cleaning materials.
Sandwiches will be provided for lunch, but donations are welcome to help cover the cost of food.
For more information, contact Werman at (402) 641-7200 or Jeff Baker at (402) 643-4105. RSVPs to the Facebook event below are encouraged, but not required.
Additional ways to help will be posted as information becomes available.
