Many communities across Big Sky Country are experiencing flooding, and many neighbors are asking how they may help. Folks may donate goods or services, but in any disaster, the most effective and efficient donation is cash. Financial donations to the VOAD member of your choice will meet the greatest need in the place where it is needed the most. If you want to volunteer your services, please affiliate with a VOAD member or contact the United Way in your location.
As of June 6 -
1. American Red Cross (ARC) – To date, the ARC has opened 7 shelter/evacuation centers housing 2391 people. There are two ARC shelters that are currently open (Crow Agency, Hays) housing 41 people. Through these shelters and five feeding sites, ARC has served 15,370 meals and 3467 snacks. They have delivered 896 comfort kits, of which 320 were given out during this operational period. The ARC has also distributed 100 clean-up kits.
2. HOPE Animal Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) – On June 5, HOPE AACR deployed two working dog teams to Crow Agency to provide stress support for residents at the ARC shelter. One dog team has devoted approximately 12 hours at the ARC staging facility in Bozeman.
3. Latter-day Saints Charities
On May 27, the LDS provided numerous food and infant hygiene items to the Crow Reservation. On June 4, the LDS deployed 50 personnel to assist with clean-up duties in Roundup.
4. Montana Food Bank Network (Feeding America) – The MFBN has secured additional food and water for distribution, as required.
5. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief - The Montana Conference continues to deploy its 5,000-meal per day field kitchen to Billings in support of feeding operations conducted by ARC. This unit has prepared 8,730 meals during this disaster. Additionally, the Conference will be deploying a 26 ft cargo trailer with six shower stalls (3men and 3 women) and a washer and dryer to Crow Agency. This unit is due to arrive on Wednesday, June 8.
6. The Salvation Army Intermountain Division – The Billings Corps has redeployed its canteen to Roundup where beginning Monday (June 6) the TSA assumed feeding responsibilities from St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. The TSA will be preparing a hot breakfast and dinner and sack lunches for the evacuees and responders, including the National Guard.
7. United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) – On June 6, UPS delivered 900 clean-up kits/flood buckets to the State Liquor Warehouse in Helena. Two hundred will be sent to the Crow and Ft. Belknap Reservations, respectively, and 500 will be retained in a cache.
As of June 1, other activities by Montana VOAD agencies included:
Humane Society of the United States – Liaison work on Crow Reservation; no animal sheltering or rescue issues
Lutheran Disaster Response – On May 27 provided 600 cases ( total of 1800 gallons) of water to the Crow Reservation . Diapers and formula will be delivered either Tuesday of Thursday of this week.
Montana Food Bank Network (Feeding America) – Distributed 16,700 lbs. of emergency food and water to replenish stores in Big Horn County (Crow Reservation) and in support of Salvation Army feeding operations at the Billings Shelter.
The Salvation Army Intermountain Division – The Billings, MT Corps has alternated feeding duties with the ARC at the Montana State University – Billings shelter. This shelter serves evacuees from the Crow Reservation and others. The Service Extension Office in Roundup, MT has received 200 clean-up kits for distribution.
United Way of Yellowstone County – United Way activated the event management application on its volunteer recruitment and referral site, www.YouCanVolunteer.org, so people who were calling and interested in helping could sign up. Also, worked with the ARC by giving them administrative access to our site and helping them set up a place where people interested in helping the Red Cross can sign up. United Way helped the Salvation Army post shifts for feeding so that they could also utilize the site as a place for volunteers to signup on-line. As of now they have 31 volunteers signed up for 54 positions.
Montana Wing Civil Air Patrol - Pilots, observers, and aircraft based in Billings, Bozeman, and Lewistown have taken digital photographs of rivers, dams, and flooded areas which emergency managers use to aid their response to the unfolding disaster.
