News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob McClintick
(320) 631-2008 or bmcclintick@ifound.org
Brainerd Storm Focus Shifts To Long-Term Recovery Efforts
While the most visible damage has been addressed, many Brainerd Lakes Area residents
continue to struggle with property damage, tree removal, lost wages and the emotional
and physical toll of the July 12 storm
The initial response to the massive July 12 storm that slashed through the Brainerd Lakes Area
is winding down, but the need for continued financial and volunteer support remains essential,
area relief organizers say.
"We continue to get calls from people who are experiencing significant stress," said Jana
Shogren, executive director for Bridges of Hope, a Brainerd Lakes Area nonprofit that is
partnering with other area agencies and local units of government to spearhead relief efforts.
"We'll be following up on cases for weeks and maybe even months."
A $5,000 emergency matching grant provided to Bridges of Hope by the Initiative Foundation
has been met, but donations are still welcome to meet ongoing needs. Visit the Bridges of Hope
Response Fund page at https://app.mobilecause.com/f/i5g/n to make your contribution.
The financial support will help Bridges as it works to manage and dispatch volunteer crews,
keep up with its call volume and meet individual needs such as rent and utilities assistance for
those who missed work in the weeks following the storm.
The storm with wind speeds estimated at up to 95 mph brought down thousands of trees,
damaged buildings and left 17,000 people without power. The main damage path was 8 miles
long and 3 miles wide between Brainerd and Nisswa.
Terry Sluss, volunteer services supervisor for the northern Minnesota branch of the American
Red Cross, said a house-by-house assessment has found one home completely destroyed and
three others with damage so extensive they’re essentially unlivable.
“Tucked into the area there still is a lot of need that we haven’t addressed yet,” Sluss said.
Power has been restored to all but a handful of residents, and an incident command and relief
center that had been established at Timberwood Church along Highway 371 in Nisswa has
been closed as the initial phase of the storm response winds down. Of note during the days
following the storm:
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Bridges of Hope continues to take calls at (218) 825-7682 for assistance from those who
lack the means to rebound from the disaster or who were set back by lost wages as a
result of the storm. Of the 140 calls Bridges has logged since the storm, 90 have
resulted in storm-related actions—from tree removal to mental health support to foodrelated needs. Bridges provided tree- and debris-removal information to the remaining
callers.
The Salvation Army served 2,700 meals during the week immediately following the
storm.
The Red Cross to date has provided 6,552 cases of water or bags of ice, and their
mobile unit distributed 2,089 individual bottles of water and snacks to residents and
volunteer workers.
The Minnesota Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MNVOAD) continues to have
several volunteer chainsaw crews dispatched in the area and will continue to work on
jobs referred to them by Bridges of Hope.
“A sense of normalcy is returning to many of the more visible areas that were affected by the
storm,” said Dan Frank, senior program manager for community and economic development at
the Initiative Foundation. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks who may not have the means to
recover from a disaster of this nature. They’re still coming forward, and they still need help.”
To learn more about relief efforts and how you can help, visit the Bridges of Hope blog.
About the Initiative Foundation
The Initiative Foundation exists to improve the quality of life and to build stronger communities
within its 14-county region of Central Minnesota by offering leadership training, business loans,
nonprofit grants and donor services. Since 1986, the Initiative Foundation has invested more
than $74 million in the region through targeted grants and business financing investments.
Resources
For additional information about the Relief Fund and how you can support the cleanup and
recovery efforts, please contact:
Jana Shogren,
Bridges of Hope
Executive director
jana@bridgesofhopemn.org
(218) 825-7682, ext. 226
Dan Frank,
Initiative Foundation
Senior program manager for economic and community development
dfrank@ifound.org
(320) 631-2056
Facebook Post
Link: https://app.mobilecause.com/f/i5g/n
Copy: The need for your support continues: Support Bridges of Hope as it coordinates relief
efforts following the massive July 12 storm that caused extensive damage throughout the area.
A $5,000 matching emergency grant from the Initiative Foundation has been met, but your
ongoing financial support is still needed as recovery efforts in the Brainerd Lakes area continue.
For more information, visit [LINK TO NEWS POSTING]
Use this photo: http://www.ifound.org/files/3914/3802/1630/IMG_2042.jpg