June 21, 2010

CHICAGO – Lutheran Disaster Response has provided a $10,000 emergency grant to Lutheran Social Service (LSS) of Minnesota to help the agency in its initial responses to last week's tornadoes in Minnesota, said Michael Nevergall, assistant director, Domestic Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

A series of tornadoes struck in Minnesota June 17, resulting in 795 damaged or destroyed buildings and three deaths statewide. Among them was Wes Michaels, 58, a member of Maple Lake Lutheran Church, Fertile, Minn., who died while shielding his daughter from a tornado as it struck near the family's convenience store and gasoline station in Mentor, Minn.

The most notable damage was in and around the north-central Minnesota town of Wadena, where nearly 252 buildings were damaged or destroyed, including the high school, which was severely damaged. The Red Cross opened a shelter at Immanuel Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Wadena.

"We have someone on the ground in (Wadena) working at organizing volunteers for cleanup," said Nancy Beers, director of disaster services and Camp Noah, LSS of Minnesota.

Beers said she is also planning to visit Wadena to talk with city officials about long-term recovery. Insurance may cover only about 75 percent of a family's needs, she explained. The agency's long-term response in Wadena and in other areas is likely to include rebuilding homes and case management to help families with their needs, Beers said.

Beers said there was similar tornado damage in southern Minnesota, where the damage was mostly rural. For example, she said, in Freeborn County, the Red Cross reported at least 200 buildings damaged or destroyed.

"In these areas we have a number of small rural churches that will be challenged in meeting the needs of their communities," she said. "One of my main concerns is helping those small churches respond to needs."

She added that the long-term loss of livestock and income for rural farmers can be significant.

Information about Lutheran Disaster Response is at http://www.ldr.org/, on the Web.

Information about Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is at http://www.lssmn.org/. on the Web.

ELCA News Service