Local organizations have come together to form the Ogle County Tornado Long Term Recovery Committee to serve as a central point for identification of short and long term needs of individuals affected by the tornadoes of April 9, 2015 and connecting with the appropriate resources to meet the needs. Helping those affected and the community at large become whole again is the central mission of the gr
oup. The Committee includes local service clubs, faith communities and others interested in meeting the financial, physical, emotional and human needs of those affected by the storm. In the coming weeks, the Long Term Recovery Committee will:
1. Establish direct contact with every family in Ogle County impacted by the tornado;
2. Gather an accurate, usable list of available resources to be shared with families in need;
3. Disburse donated funds after determination of best practices for doing so;
4. Establish a hub for coordination between agencies/organizations and families in Ogle County. A case management team is being formed that will serve as the point of contact for each family and will perform unmet needs assessments. Disaster casework is early intervention provided by skilled helpers who aid survivors in taking the next steps in their recovery. Interventions include providing accurate and timely information, providing referral services, and identifying resources to meet both urgent and long-term needs. The Rochelle Area Community Foundation plays a strong role in providing oversight and ensuring the integrity of the process. “Members of our committee have already played an integral part in assisting the families in the recovery efforts in a variety of ways,” said Kim Montgomery, Rochelle Area Community Foundation Director. “We have an excellent group assembled to guide our families through the recovery process.”
Trained caseworkers will provide storm victims with information and assistance, ranging from helping to replace household items and answering housing questions to connecting individuals with mental health and spiritual counselors. The caseworkers will identify disaster-related needs and enlist other long-term recovery organizations for help. Each impacted family will be contacted by the end of the day on Friday May 15th. If you have not been contacted by Monday May 18th, please call Jenny Thompson at City Hall at 815-561-2006.
