Friends,

My heart is aching for every Iowan impacted by the devastation of the derecho storm this week.

Our community is already cleaning up and pulling together, but there is still so much more work to do and so much uncertainty. Many people are still without power days after the storm. People need water, gas, and ice. Some need shelter.

I’m continuously awestruck by the strength and resilience of our community and all Iowans, but we need help as we continue to recover from this storm.

Here are some resources if you’ve been affected by the storm or can lend a hand to your neighbors:

The Iowa Department of Human Services has information on food assistance and other support if you’ve been directly impacted: https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs

If you’d like to volunteer, you can get involved with the United Way of East Central Iowa. They’re coordinating volunteers to support friends and neighbors as we recover from the storm: https://www.uweci.org/get-involved/

And if you’d like to help further: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/

I’m always humbled to represent this district, but I’m especially proud today. The spirit of Iowans is strong and seeing our community come together makes me proud. But, again, more help is needed.

I’ve called on Governor Reynolds to declare an emergency to secure federal relief funds, and I’m pushing the federal government to act rapidly.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on resources and efforts to recover from the storm, and the work we’re doing to help Iowans build back stronger than ever.

Stay strong and stay safe,

Abby