United Way of the Midlands Creates Fund To Aid Nebraska and Iowa Tornado Victims
Thousands of people in Nebraska and Iowa are in need of assistance as recent tornadoes have displaced
families, destroyed homes and devastated communities. In response, United Way of the Midlands
(UWM) has created the Nebraska & Iowa Tornado Relief Fund (NITRF).
Individuals can contribute to the fund to help our neighbors impacted by this disaster by visiting
UnitedWayMidlands.org/TornadoRelief, texting TORNADO24 to 41444 or calling 402-522-7962. One-
hundred percent of every donation will be directed to nonprofit programs meeting people’s need for
emergency shelter and essential needs, such as food and clothing.
Donors can also direct their gift to victims affected by tornadoes in Waverly, NE, and UWM will distribute
those funds to the United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County who serves that area.
In addition, UWM is assisting those affected by the storms through its 2-1-1 Helpline which serves Nebraska
and Iowa. The 211 Helpline is partnering with the Douglas County Emergency Management Agency to take
storm damage reports from individuals within the county.
People in need of post-storm assistance can connect with the Helpline by calling 2-1-1, texting their ZIP code
to 898211 or visiting ne211.org. Community Referral Specialists will be available to assist callers 24/7. All
calls are free and confidential, but standard message and data rates may apply when texting. Assistance is
available in more than 200 languages using the tele-interpreter service and bilingual staff.
UWM is also taking sign-ups for volunteers who would like to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts in
affected areas. While volunteers are not being deployed at this time due to safety concerns, UWM is
coordinating with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department and will share information on available
opportunities at a later time. Individuals interested in volunteering are asked to register on UWM’s volunteer
platform at uwmidlands.galaxydigital.com.
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