Date of release: December 22, 2021
The overwhelming generosity of individuals and organizations across the United States in providing donations to benefit the families impacted by the December 10, 2021, tornadoes has led to the need to manage the volume of relief items. Local churches, relief organizations, and schools do not have adequate capacity to store and manage the supplies. Therefore, over the past few days, local partners including the City of Paducah have worked together to develop The Restoration Center for West Kentucky. The building at 3410 James Sanders Boulevard in Paducah (next to Planet Fitness) has been converted into a facility for coordinating donations.
Mayor George Bray said, “The effort to secure, prepare, and man a distribution facility for the donated goods flowing into our community is an example of the collaboration required between the City, County, our local churches, and other agencies to accomplish such a task. The City of Paducah is proud to be a part of the effort that will streamline the receiving, storage, and efficient distribution of these goods for those who need it the most.”
The Restoration Center is a partnership that will coordinate cooperative warehousing, receiving, and supply distribution. The Restoration Center will provide direct services to all of the counties of Kentucky Emergency Management Zone 1, which includes Graves, Marshall, Calloway, Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, Ballard, and McCracken.
Jerome Mansfield, the former McCracken County Emergency Management director, will lead the coordination effort supported by volunteers from the churches of the West Union Baptist Association and Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief. Representatives from the City of Paducah, McCracken County, Graves County, and Mayfield assisted in the development of The Restoration Center.
INFORMATION FOR CHURCHES/ORGANIZATIONS WITH SURPLUS DONATIONS
- The Restoration Center will begin scheduling to receive surplus donations from church/relief organizations on Tuesday, December 28. Until a direct phone number is established, contact Lone Oak First Baptist Church at 270-554-1441 to schedule.
- The Restoration Center’s volunteers will sort items and combine them with other donations and prepare them to be distributed.
- The Restoration Center may be able to segment some items for warehouse storage unique to a church if space is available and the church is going to undergo tornado-related repairs/renovations.
- The Restoration Center will receive surplus items from any church or relief organization regardless of religious denomination, and supplies will be distributed to any church or relief organization that requests them.
INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC ON DONATING ADDITIONAL ITEMS
- Currently, the Restoration Center is not receiving additional donations.
- On January 3, 2022, previously-scheduled donations will be accepted.
- On January 10, 2022, the facility will be open for new scheduling of donations.
INFORMATION ON DISTRIBUTION OF ITEMS
- The Restoration Center’s goal is NOT warehousing, but coordination and distribution. The Restoration Center wants to facilitate the needs of churches and relief organizations in the affected counties of EMA Zone 1.
- The Restoration Center will NOT be open to the public. The Restoration Center is providing a resource to local churches, schools, and national relief organizations to get needed supplies.
- Volunteer teams from churches and other local organizations are being assembled for sorting and picking items.
- Churches, organizations, and schools may order and pick up supplies or have them delivered to desired location(s) as necessary to replenish a stock of supplies or to serve disaster relief teams working in the field.
- Until a contact phone number is established, contact Lone Oak First Baptist Church at 270-554-1441 to coordinate supply distribution.
INFORMATION FOR CHURCH/ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER TEAMS
- If a church or relief organization would like to schedule volunteers to serve in this cooperative effort, contact Becky Keeling or Ruth Brinly. Until the Center’s phone is established, contact Lone Oak First Baptist Church at 270-554-1441.
- The Restoration Center has an immediate volunteer need for forklift operators and those with warehousing experience.
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