Storm Recovery Efforts Continue In Monroe County

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Recovery efforts continue in Monroe County after two tornadoes ripped through the area nearly three weeks ago.

Hundreds of volunteers have come in to remove some of the debris and clean up some of the hard hit areas, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Many people are still searching for a place to stay after losing everything in the storms.

“Several have been completely displaced and have to find rental properties elsewhere, or just temporary housing until their home gets repaired,” said Jessica Gray, 911 Dispatcher in Monroe County. “That is going to be a need for a little while.”

Gray said she’s reached out to realtors in nearby cities and counties trying to help find residents a place to rent temporarily until they can get back inside their homes.

“We’ve looked into neighboring cities, Lowndes County has been a big help as they are as close as they are to the Hamilton area, but I do have displaced residents all the way up to Smithville,” said Gray. “We’ve had to look in Amory, we had to look in Aberdeen, we’ve had to look in neighboring counties. It’s difficult to find temporary housing.”

In large part that’s because not many rental properties are available in the area.

However, in this time of need, a local church that just opened the doors to its new building is now opening its doors to hundreds of storm victims.

“You need a shower, a place to sleep, food, anything that we have here at the church we want to open up to you,” said Pastor Joseph Kennedy of Abundant Life UPC Church in Hamilton. “We just want to do all we can do to help this community because we realize that some folks lost everything.”

Pastor Kennedy said it was a no-brainer for him and his church to jump into action.

The church serves as the primary volunteer and donation center in Monroe County.

Storm victims can come by and get anything from clothes, to cleaning supplies, to a hot meal all in one place.

“If you’re not helping the community what are you helping, the pastor expressed. “God’s heartbeat is people not buildings. If I take care of people, well I’m doing what God called me to do.”

While there’s a long road to recovery, residents in the community are hopeful they’ll come out of this storm stronger than ever before.

“We’re hoping in the next several weeks to come that we’re going to get this debris off the roads, we’re going to get people back into their homes, we’re going to see Monroe County get some sense of normalcy,” said Gray.

“We got a long ways to go,” said Pastor Kennedy. “It’s not over by a long shot, but we’re going to make it, and I believe that God is going to supply all of the needs.”

County leaders are still waiting on the president to sign a federal disaster declaration for the area.

Monroe County is still in need of volunteers. If anyone is interested in helping, just visit Abundant Life UPC Church in Hamilton.