Worthington ministry, community members meet to discuss state of disaster relief – The Globe

WORTHINGTON – Members of the community and Worthington Ministerium, along with Nobles County Emergency Management Director Tawn Hall, met Tuesday afternoon to discuss next steps in the disaster relief cleanup process at the American Lutheran Church.

During the meeting, some participants updated the group on the progress of their relief efforts and areas where community assistance is needed.

Lisa Schutte and Susanne Murphy of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a local initiative created specifically to help with the aftermath of the June 21-23 flooding in the Worthington area, said that since June 25, several trailers of cleaning supplies and personal items have been delivered to Jackson, Spencer and Rock Valley, Iowa. So far, an estimated seven to eight tons of supplies have been distributed.

“Our mission was to collect donations from our friends for a week,” Murphy said. “It was awesome, it was just awesome.”

The two men have worked long hours in the two weeks since the area was flooded, and while it has been an overwhelming experience in a positive sense, they are at capacity when it comes to collecting items and storing them for those in need. The duo, along with many volunteers, have assembled five-gallon buckets that have been donated with these items and delivered them to the affected areas accordingly.

Perhaps most importantly, what the new “Two Girls and a Garage” expressed at the meeting was that they don’t really need clothes, but rather personal toiletries and cleaning products.

From now on, Neighbors Helping Neighbors will no longer be collecting any clothing, only personal items and cleaning supplies.

Requested supplies include disinfectant wipes, mold spray, toilet paper, hydrogen peroxide, and sponges, among others. (See below for a full list of requested supplies)

It was decided among the participants that there would be a designated location for these items to be stored and assembled, namely McCarvel Hall, the 4-H food building at the Nobles County Fairgrounds.

During the meeting and at the time of publication, it was decided that the collection period for the requested articles would be from July 3 to 27.

As for the next steps regarding what will happen with supplies after July 27, that will be discussed at a later date.

Participating churches that will be collecting requested cleaning supplies and personal items include the American Reformed Church, American Lutheran Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and Living Waters Covenant Church, all in Worthington. These items will then be transported to McCarvel Hall, where a group of volunteers will help distribute and organize everything that arrives during designated hours (see below).

Fact sheets on how to properly treat mold and the best supplies needed to do so at McCarvel Hall and the aforementioned churches, translated into English and Spanish.

During the next three weeks of collection, the room will be open to volunteers and those in need of the items collected on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Designated members of each church have a key to access the building if donations are brought in outside of volunteer hours.

Participants also discussed where cash donations for those affected should go. It was decided that Living Waters Covenant Church would accept donations. If you would like to make a financial donation, please write “June Flood Relief” in the memo line of the check and mail it or drop it off in person during business hours at the church, located at 1645 South Shore Drive.

List of necessary cleaning products:

Concrobium Mold Remover, Disinfecting Spray/Wipes, Spray Bottles, Mold Spray, Heavy Duty Trash Bags, White Vinegar, Baking Soda, Paper Towels, Sponges, Toilet Paper, Scrub Brushes, Lysol/Pine Sol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Dawn Dish Soap, Laundry Detergent, and Glass Cleaner.

Please message the Neighbors to Neighbors Facebook page (look for the logo attached to this post) if you would like to serve. Volunteer times and dates for those interested in gathering/distributing cleaning/personal supplies at McCarvel Hall are as follows:

• July 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• July 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• July 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• July 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• July 18 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• July 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• July 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• July 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• July 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

At the time of publication, it was unclear whether clothing would be distributed at McCarvel Hall or if it was simply cleaning/personal supplies.

Hope Moural has been the Globe’s community editor since May 2024. Born and raised in Nebraska, Hope holds a dual bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from Concordia University in Nebraska and previously worked as a general assignment reporter.