We Have the Responsibility to Help Our Fellow Kentuckians. Here’s How You Can Do So.

Photo by Shawn Triplett.

We at the Louisville Political Review extend our hearts to all UofL students, family, friends, and community members affected by the devastating tornadoes that hit Western Kentucky last Friday.

As very fortunate Kentuckians who were not directly affected by these disastrous events, we have the responsibility to help our neighbors to the west. Relief efforts are still very ongoing in these areas, and we want to encourage our readers to do one of the following to help your fellow Kentuckian:

• Donate Blood
  • American Red Cross: Find locations near you to donate here.
• Volunteer
  • Operation Unbridled Spirit: Team Rubicon Clean-up, Tarping, & Sifting Efforts. Dawson Springs, Mayfield, or Bowling Green,  register here. After preliminary online training is completed, and background check cleared, you may deploy with TR. Your food and lodging are provided. You may bring an air mattress- earmuffs and/or earplugs strongly recommended for sleeping. Will be in the areas at least into mid or late January. The group may return for house rebuilding if FEMA provides necessary funds.
  • Eight Days of Hope: A faith-based aid group doing similar work in Maysville, especially tarping, until January 8th. Sign up here.
  • Division of Family Resource and Youth Services Center (FRYSC) in Auburn, Kentucky: contact Mrs. Hope, FRYSC Director 270-542-6398, hope.strode@logan.kyschools.us 
  • God’s Pit Crew Crisis Response Team: sign up here.
  • Volunteer in Greenville, KY: Please meet with an official at the Bremen Fire Department at 51 College St, Greenville, KY 42345. There’ll be plenty of assignments for volunteers, but please be orderly and coordinated, as they’ll be doing a more thorough search of the widespread damage.
  • Kentucky Emergency Management: sign up here.
  • Prepare and Serve food with Mercy Chefs: sign up here.
  • Spanish Translators Needed at Mayfield Independent Schools: email wecanhelp@mayfield.kyschools.us or call 270-804-1381
  • Clean up Efforts in South Warren County: Red Cross at 8140 Nashville Road, Bowling Green or (270) 467-7500 
  • Serve Food at Gasper Brewing Company (opens at 12 pm Central Time): 302 State Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
  • Marshall County High School, 416 High School Rd. Benton, KY 42025: volunteers will be shuttled to impacted areas starting at 7 a.m. daily. (The Gilbertsville & Benton areas were hit just as hard as Mayfield & Dawson springs)
• Donate Money
  • Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund: here.
  • American Red Cross: here.
  • Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief Fund: here.
  • Kentucky Counseling Center: here.
  • Venmo for Barrel & Bond/Paducah Bourbon Society: @BrianShemwell (cash donations go directly towards purchasing items requested by relief efforts at Mayfield High School)
  • Mayfield Strong Monetary Donations: here.
  • Venmo donations to Bowling Green Micro Pantry: Venmo handle @bgmicropantry
  • Mayfield-Graves County United Way: here.
  • Venmo donations to Marshall County- MC Nonprofit Foundation: Venmo handle @MCNPF.
  • Samaritan’s Purse: here.
  • Water with Blessings: here.
  • List of Community-based GoFundMe’s: here.
• Donate Items (generators, non-perishable foods, space heaters, batteries, propane tanks, phone chargers, socks, undergarments, blankets, coats, warm clothes, shoes, toiletries, paper towels, plastic utensils, paper plates, feminine hygiene products, baby formula, diapers, wipes, water, snacks)
  • Salvation Army: locations here.
  • Hope 2 All Food Pantry in Drakesboro, KY: 307 W. Mose Rager Blvd. Drakesboro, KY 42337
  • Mount Zion Baptist Church:175 Graham Dr., Bowling Green, KY
  • Stepstone Family and Youth Services in Benton, KY: 78 Caky Dr, Benton, KY or (270) 527-8388 
  • Dawson Springs High School: 317 Eli Street, Dawson Springs, KY 42408 or 270-797-2957
  • Mayfield High School: 700 Douthitt St. Mayfield, KY 42066 or 270-247-4461
  • Marshall County Elks Lodge in Benton, KY: 97 Kashway Ln, Benton, KY or 270-703-2706
  • First Baptist Church in Paducah, KY: 2890 Broadway St, Paducah, KY or (270) 442-2728 
  • South Warren Middle School: 295 Rich Pond Rd or (270) 467-7510 
  • Mayfield/Graves County Fairgrounds: 1004 KY 121, Mayfield, KY 42066
  • Community Kitchen: 1237 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Paducah, KY
  • Central Elementary School: 115 Jim Goheen Road, Benton, KY 42025 (accepting donations on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
  • Jefferson County Public Schools: VanHoose Education Center, 3332 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218 (accepting donations from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m through Friday)
  • Highland Cleaners Coats and Book Drive: 2457 Bardstown Rd., Louisville, KY or 4007 Brownsboro Rd., Louisville, KY (in-person donations accepted through Jan. 7)
• Adopt a pet, donate money or supplies to shelters of affected communities:
  • Mayfield-Graves County Animal Shelter: here.
  • Hopkins County Humane Society: here.
  • Mociso Farms Livestock Sanctuary & Rescue: here.
  • Warren County Humane Society: here.
  • Kentucky Humane Society: here.