On late Friday and early Saturday, no fewer than fifty tornados ripped across six states with a health toll of at least 90 people. However, the worst-hit state was Kentucky, where 80 of those 90 confirmed deaths have taken place, reports The New York Times.
Beyond the cost to human life, the tornados left a trail of destruction in their wake that obliterated more than 1,000 homes and shut off electricity and water to thousands. Commenting on the level of destruction, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said (via The Hill), “I don’t think we’ll have seen damage at this scale, ever.”
Relief and reconstruction efforts are expected to run well into 2022, but for those who want to help the tornado victims today, we’ve assembled a list of charities and that you can donate to to help fund relief efforts right now.
- The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund will use donations to assist those impacted by the December 10th and 11th tornados.
- The Care Tornado Emergency Fund will use monetary donations to provide affected communities with food, clean water, and cash assistance.
- Kentucky’s United Way is accepting donations that will be put towards supporting the immediate needs of affected communities.
- The Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Fund is another charity to which one can donate to.
- GlobalGiving’s Midwest US Tornado Relief Fund will use donations to provide food, emergency supplies, and relief to affected people and displaced families as well as supporting frontline workers.
- Islamic Relief USA has deployed its Disaster Management Team to provide relief and shelter to Kentucky victims via its Humanitarian Aid fund, which you can contribute to in any amount.
- GoFundMe’s Kentucky Tornado Outbreak Fundraisers page lists dozens of fundraisers for victims seeking relief.
- And here is GoFundMe’s list of fundraisers for those in Tennessee impacted by the tornados.
- And GoFundMe’s Arkansas tornado fundraisers listings.
- And this is GoFundMe’s Illinois tornado fundraisers listings.
- Finally, GoFundMe’s Midwest and Southern Tornado Outbreak page lists additional fundraising efforts for those impacted by the tornados.