United States: World Vision expanding tornado response to target six states

Today World Vision announces tornado relief operations will now be expanding to target six states impacted this week by powerful storms and tornados spanning from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. World Vision’s National Domestic Disaster Headquarters in North Texas will serve as the organisation’s disaster “hub” where relief supplies are prepositioned to deploy quickly to disaster survivors. The 60,000-square-foot facility is centrally located in the U.S. where relief supplies including clothing, shoes, toiletries, blankets and cleaning supplies will be provided to church partners in Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama and Louisiana.

“It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear of entire communities being wiped out this week,” says Phyllis Freeman, World Vision’s Domestic Disaster Director. “World Vision is working quickly to get help to those who desperately need it.”

Within the next 72 hours, World Vision will deploy a 53-foot disaster response trailer to Alabama where tornado survivors in Tuscaloosa have been receiving relief supplies since April 2011. World Vision’s tornado response in Tuscaloosa will also be expanded to include tornado survivors impacted this week in Huntsville, just two hours north along the Tennessee border. To date in Tuscaloosa, more than 14,000 families and 20,000 children have been served by World Vision since last year’s devastating tornados pummelled much of community.

World Vision has been serving North Texas and the Gulf region since 2002. In 2011, the fourth deadliest tornado year on record, World Vision used the new North Texas headquarters to send relief product to disaster survivors in multiple states including Alabama and Missouri. Hundreds of Texas volunteers also assist World Vision staff with preparing product for deployment and will continue to serve an integral role in responding to future domestic disasters.

To learn more about World Vision's tornado response and to donate please visit www.worldvision.org/usprograms.