VSN Flood Relief Volunteer Database

updated Fri Jun 20 at noon - check for updates

volunteer opportunities and resources

NEW: flood cleanup work with Workforce connections - learn more

New: Residents in Columbia, Crawford, Milwaukee, Racine, Richland, Sauk, and Vernon
Counties that were affected by the flooding will have seven business
days (Thursday, June 19th through Friday, June 27th) to apply for emergency
food assistance at their local county. More info at www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov

assistance available

Repairing Your Flooded Home - Red Cross/FEMA manual (download PDF)

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:

1. Home and property clean-up and debris removal
2. Relief kitchen work to help feed volunteers and displaced families
3. Transportation of food, water and cleaning supplies
4. Heavy clean-up work - operation of chainsaws and specialized equipment for cleanup of debris on properties and on the river. The more we can do to clean up downed branches and debris on the river, the more we can avert further damage on land.

We are looking for area reports on flood conditions throughout Vernon and Crawford Counties. VSN has a broad membership base and we need to hear from you. Personal accounts will allow us to share area conditions, needs and stories with other VSN members and the entire watershed community. Please also send us any June 2008 Flood photos you would like to share for the website.

VSN will not be handling donations of any kind, but we will help you identify the proper channels for making/giving donations. Working together we can respond to this challenge! Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

Jessica Luhning, Gary Thompson and Michelle Ballweg
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

608-637-3615

vsn@frontiernet.net

Families in need

La Farge - Family of ten lost their home in the flooding and need a place to live. They would like to stay in the La Farge area if possible but other options would be considered. I currently have them in a bed & breakfast until the end of next week. They are willing to rent but would like to purchase a home. If you have a dwelling to accommodate this family, please contact Mark Phillips, 625-3250 or email mark.phillips@organicvalley.coop. Thanks.

FLOOD RELIEF - Organizations and Opportunities

Thank you for all your flood relief efforts thus far. Some of it is incomplete and situations are changing rapidly. If you have phone numbers, coordinator names or additional information we can include, please contact us.

Volunteers Still Needed!
Although clean-up work is slowly wrapping up, this weekend will be a very important weekend to reach out to flood victims. There is still work to be done in Gays Mills, Viola, Soldiers Grove and LaFarge. Gays Mills is the only location with an established volunteer effort. Please sign in at the Community Center if you want to work.  

Viola Flood Relief - John Gannon (608) 627-8888 (updated 6/18/08)

VSN has been in communication with John Gannon, Viola Flood Relief Volunteer Coordinator. John has identified several families that need assistance with a number of flood-related tasks, over the next several days. Lunch is being provided daily at 1:30 for volunteers and folks in need of community meals.

John has asked for volunteers that can help with heavy and light work including: cleaning up basements, cleaning out garages, moving applicances, moving a woman out of an apartment, etc. This type of work is best tackled with crews of 3-4 persons. John is looking for at least 3 crews for heavy work and 2 crews for light work. An appliance dolly is needed as well as buckets and shovels for cleanup work. If you are able to assist please contact John Gannon (608) 627-8888.

Crawford County Volunteers

Report to Fire Departments & bring gloves and boots

*Gays Mills – north of town on Hwy 131 Soldiers Grove – Hwy 61

*Viola - Volunteers call 608.627.1631 (Emergency Management)

Food Pantries/Kitchens

Viola Food Pantry Old Elementary School (2nd left after bridge, two blocks down on the right)
Contact: John Gannon 608.627.8888 Open 8 to 5

Kickapoo Valley Relief Kitchen
There will be meals served by current staff at the Kickapoo Valley Relief Kitchen through this Sunday at noon (delivered to Gays Mills, Viola, and LaFarge). Monday morning, the friendly group of Southern Baptists from Mississippi will be returning home and the Salvation Army will be leaving the area so as to focus their efforts on other hard hit areas of Wisconsin and Iowa. Nonetheless, efforts are rolling to keep the Relief Kitchen open through Wednesday of next week. More volunteers may be needed starting Monday.

North Crawford Kitchen, North Crawford High School
Southern Baptists organizing the cooking; Salvation Army distributing up and down the river
Expecting 200 to 300 meals a day
May need help with servers
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Donations

La Farge Lions Flood Relief - Coordinating through the Deb, La Farge State Bank (625-2480) and Kim Walker, Village Clerk (625-4422)

Viroqua Food Cooperative (627-7511) - Accepting food donations to be allocated to area pantries

Meetings

Long Term Recovery (Vernon, LaCrosse and Crawford Counties)
Project Recovery
Gil Hoel, Coordinator 608.219.6284 (cell)
Good Sheperd Lutheran Church, Viroqua

Region 1 August Flood Recovery
Rev. Jeanne Jones, Volunteer Team Coordinator
Gays Mills, WI 608.872.2186

Keith Lang
Disaster Human Services Coordinator
Lutheran Social Service of WI and Upper MI 608.219.5848

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Coulee Cap -- Funding for First Time Home Buyers Available
Coulee Cap has funding available for displaced individuals & families for down payments to purchase a home. This is only available for the 1st time home buyer though. If someone was renting & interested in buying a home now then they can apply by calling Michelle at 608-634-7372 for Vernon County. They would then have to see if the qualify by their requirements. If you know of anyone who would benefit from this information, please pass the above phone number on to them.

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Flood Relief Food Stamps
There is a one-time flood relief food stamp program now in effect for all residence in counties under a federal disaster declaration.  Food Stamps are available to all income levels.  You can call the Emergency Management Office for more information.  608-637-5267
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FEMA Assistance
If you have questions about any FEMA related issue, feel free to stop in at the North Crawford school to have a face to face conversation.

FLOOD RELIEF ASSISTANCE

1) We have a couple of extra bedroom, food and cleanup facilities for anyone needing a place to stay and feel OK. Near Liberty Pole. Dan Peper and Ruth Kittleson 675-3866 or ruthdan@mwt.net

2) Dan and Jamie Johnson have extra space near Soldiers Grove for a couple or small family displaced by the flood. midwestearthbuilders@yahoo.com (608)735-4595

Resources:

Vernon County website www.co.vernon.wi.gov

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