Associations Boost Aid Efforts Amid Nebraska Flooding

The “bomb cyclone” that hit a number of midwestern states had a devastating effect on Nebraska in particular.

While the storm hit Iowa and other states hard as well, Nebraska suffered more than $1 billion in damage  (opens in a new tab), NPR reported. The storm caused major flooding around the Missouri River Basin, leading most of Nebraska’s counties to call for a state of emergency.

Associations have stepped in to offer a helping hand where possible. Among them:

The trucking industry.  The Nebraska Trucking Association has asked its members to supply food-grade trucks to transport potable water to communities across the state. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone impacted by these floods, including some of our members whose facilities and equipment are flooded and who have drivers and other staff stranded or rendered homeless,” the association said in a Facebook post  (opens in a new tab). “May we all remain Nebraska Strong!”

The legal community. Omaha wasn’t spared from the historic flooding, but that didn’t stop the Omaha Bar Association from putting on an event that mixes fun and aid. The group’s Pints for a Purpose event  (opens in a new tab) on Thursday at  an Omaha beer garden will help raise money for the American Red Cross.

The broadcast industry. The Nebraska Broadcasters Association will also support the American Red Cross on Friday with a one-day fundraising event, the #NebraskaStrong Drive for Flood Relief. The event will involve phone banks to take donations and will get television and radio coverage. The NBA itself donated $20,000, KIOS reported  (opens in a new tab).

The agricultural community. Farming is a big part of the economy in Nebraska and Iowa, and many agricultural groups are supporting their own. The Nebraska Cattlemen Association, for one, has launched a fund for cattle producers  (opens in a new tab), and the Nebraska Farm Bureau  (opens in a new tab) is offering a “Disaster Exchange  (opens in a new tab)” for members who need help or want to offer assistance. The exchange has already received dozens of inquiries in the past few days.

“We want to do what we can to help,” said Steve Nelson, the bureau’s president, in comments to the ‌Lexington Clipper-Herald  (opens in a new tab). “We believe our relief fund and information exchange can be of assistance.”

An aerial view of the flooding at the Camp Ashland, Nebraska on March 17, 2019. (The National Guard/Flickr)