Hardin County schools are joining recovery efforts following historic flooding in eastern Kentucky.
The district announced this weekend that it is accepting gift cards given to flood victims in the area.
Businesses, community members, staff, students, organizations and individuals can bring Visa, Dollar General, Lowe’s, Amazon and Walmart gift cards to the Hardin County Board of Education Central Office at 65 WA Jenkins Road in Elizabethtown, by the end of the business. day Friday.
The cards will then be sent to school family resource and youth service centers in the affected area.
The Hardin County School Board Central Office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Gift cards of any denomination are accepted. Contributors are invited to write the amount of the donation on the gift card.
“Our community always helps people in need. We saw it most recently when tornadoes tore through western Kentucky. Our friends in Eastern Kentucky need our help now,” said a statement released Monday by Hardin County Schools. “When the people of Western Kentucky needed help, we served as a gathering place for supplies of all kinds. This tragedy is a little different. We hear that gift cards will help the most. By sending gift cards to school resource center coordinators in affected districts, we know that those who have lost everything will have the opportunity to buy what their family needs.
“Our community is so kind and compassionate,” the statement added. “We are grateful for every dollar we can send there.”
According to a Monday update from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office, the death toll was 30 as the region continued to be battered by inclement weather.
Deaths by county on Monday morning were Breathitt County, 7; Clay County, 2; Knott County, 16, including 4 children; Letcher County, 2; and Perry County, 3.
The update says the governor has sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, asking that the other affected areas — Floyd, Johnson, Leslie, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley and Pike counties — be eligible. individual disaster relief.
According to the update, Beshear said he expects more counties to be added, much like the process during the December tornadoes.
FEMA has previously announced that tenants and homeowners in Breathitt, Clay, Knott, Letcher and Perry counties who were affected by the severe storms, floods and mudslides that began July 26 can apply for individual assistance in case of disaster.
