The Community Response Fund for tornado recovery in the Fox Valley will begin providing direct financial assistance to affected households, officials announced Friday.
Fund organizers said at least $1 million has been committed for the next phase of recovery efforts, which will help households cover recovery-related expenses and unmet needs following the July tornadoes.
The assistance will be distributed through selected nonprofit organizations that will work directly with impacted residents to assess needs and provide support. Aid may be given directly to households or paid on their behalf to landlords, utility companies, contractors, hotels, child care providers or other service organizations.
An application process for nonprofits seeking to administer the assistance began Friday. Officials said grants awarded to participating nonprofits will be fully allocated to household financial assistance.
"We understand that many families are facing urgent needs today," United Way Fox Cities officials said in a press release. "We share that sense of urgency and are committed to moving this work forward as quickly as possible while distributing these resources in a fair and responsible manner."
Since launching July 28, the Community Response Fund has awarded $651,500 to 30 nonprofit organizations involved in tornado response and recovery efforts. Those grants supported services including emergency response, volunteer coordination, hotel lodging, groceries and resource navigation.
The fund is a partnership involving United Way Fox Cities, the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and other community organizations. Officials said weekly updates on recovery efforts will continue.
