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Nonprofit with 90-Year-Old Kentucky Roots Committed to Helping Kids, Families Recover in Laurel, Pulaski Counties

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (May 18, 2025) — After a deadly tornado swept through rural, eastern Kentucky this weekend, taking lives and leaving nearly 50 miles of destruction in its wake, ��һ�Թ� is working to provide critical supplies and support to help children and families hardest hit by the powerful storm.

In coordination with state and local partners, ��һ�Թ� is in the process of helping ensure essential, child-focused supplies get into the hands of children and families who need them most in Laurel and Pulaski Counties. This includes supplies like hygiene kits, diapers and wipes, as well as cash assistance to support families’ most urgent needs.

In addition, the global humanitarian organization is assessing the impacts on local child care centers, and stands ready to help restore child care and early learning centers damaged by the storm. ��һ�Թ�’s psychosocial team is also equipped to aid long-term recovery efforts by supporting the mental health needs of children and caregivers.

“Many children have been ripped from the lives they once knew, unsure of what the future may hold. It’s critical we get them essential supplies and support to be safe and healthy – and back to their everyday, comforting routines,” said Greta Wetzel, ��һ�Թ�’s Senior Psychosocial Support Advisor for U.S. emergencies. “��һ�Թ� has been working in Kentucky for over 90 years and is prepared to meet kids’ immediate and long-term recovery needs in the wake of the tornado, including helping them return to learning and getting mental health supports to cope and heal.”

As a national leader in protecting children in emergencies, ��һ�Թ� has been supporting children’s most critical needs in U.S. emergencies since 2005, including the historic 2022 flooding in eastern Kentucky. By contributing to the , you will help ��һ�Թ� protect kids in the United States when disaster strikes.

��һ�Թ� has also been working in Kentucky rural communities since 1932, providing support to children and families most impacted by poverty. Today, this includes leading high-quality early education programs in some of the state’s most impoverished rural communities, to help children succeed in school and life.

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