EKY flood relief fund raises much less than WKY tornado fund

KENTUCKY (WKYT) - The Kentucky treasury canceled thousands of dollars in checks last month for tornado victims that were sent to people in northern Kentucky.

Governor Beshear was asked if this could also happen with the Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

The Governor says because much less money was donated to flood relief, the state won’t likely be sending as many checks like that to flood victims.

Most of the money that has been donated has already been earmarked for long-term rebuilding.

In December 2021, Kentuckians and generous givers around the country answered the call to donate after deadly tornadoes in western Kentucky. Just seven months later, that same call to action after deadly floods in eastern Kentucky.

“Following the devastating tornadoes in WKY, we opened the WKY tornado relief fund, and we saw generosity flow from around the world. $52 million that we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to spend to help those families,” Governor Andy Beshear said.

But for flood relief, just over $13 million has been raised—a roughly $40 million difference.

“We know that we are going to need about 3,000 homes that are going to need either significant repair, or need to be rebuilt, or relocated,” said CEO at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Gerry Roll.

For the last six months, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky has worked tirelessly to raise money beyond the flood relief fund, knowing every dime given is vital to recovery.

“Our job is to keep that in front of people that we have a long way to go,” Roll said. “We were having a housing crisis before this flood. We will be having a bigger crisis now and over the next decade.”

To date, the Foundation alone has raised close to $10 million, with just about every dollar raised going out as soon as it comes in.

“With the EKY flood relief fund, all of the remaining funds are going toward long-term rebuilding,” Governor Beshear said. “There are sadly fewer dollars in that fund. We need more, so more needs to go directly upfront into it.”

The Foundation says they won’t give up the fight for the families who have lost so much and want to stay in the area they call home.

The Foundation says they are hopeful the General Assembly will put more money into the housing fund for recovery efforts.

To donate to the Team Eastern Kentucky Relief Fund, click here.

To donate to the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, click here.

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