Here’s the latest updates on initiatives, fundraisers and more to help the victims of last weekend’s tornado in Whiteland.
Volunteers sought for cleanup
UpLift Johnson County is seeking volunteers to help families clean up from the storms. The nonprofit is looking for volunteers to meet at 8 a.m. on Friday at the Clark-Pleasant Schools Administration Building, 50 Center St., Whiteland. At the admin building, volunteers will be assigned tasks for the day, according to an Uplift Johnson County news release.
To sign up, call 317-300-8855 or email [email protected]. People must register before Friday, the news release says.
Farm Bureau to offer free lunch
The Johnson County Farm Bureau will have a drive-thru lunch available Friday for those in the Whiteland area. Drive-thru lunch will be available for pickup on the west side of Whiteland Community High School, 300 E. Main St, according to a Facebook post.
The agency is preparing 500 meals, including cheeseburgers, potato chips and water. They will be available for residents, their neighbors, storm clean-up crews and lineman, the post says.
For more information, go to facebook.com/JohnsonCountyFarmBureauInc.
Town plans fundraiser
The town of Whiteland and Bailey & Wood Financial Group will be hosting a fundraiser for the tornado victims next Wednesday.
“Fundraiser for Whiteland” will take place starting at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Bailey & Wood parking lot, 740 Main St., Whiteland. Free burgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks will be provided, along with music.
They will also be collecting donations to help residents in need that were affected by the Whiteland tornado.
Donations
Johnson County Community Organization Active in Disaster: Items needed are personal hygiene items, drinking water, shower items, deodorant, razors and shaving cream, diapers and baby formula, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and adult diapers. Donations can be delivered to The Refuge, 1150 South Park Drive, Greenwood.
Beeson Mechanical Service: Collecting gift cards to be donated to storm victims. Donations can be dropped off at 510 Main Street, Whiteland. The company can be contacted via Facebook by going to facebook.com/BeesonMechanicalService.
HeavenEarth Church: Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day for supply donations and pickup. Donations needed include power banks, pet food and sanitizing wipes. The church, located at 309 E. Main St, Whiteland, can be reached at 317-530-5006.
Johnson County Community Foundation: Online donations for storm victims can be made at jccf.org. Funds can be directed to towns of Whiteland and New Whiteland, Johnson County, the town of Bargersville and the city of Franklin.
Uplift Johnson County: Monetary donations for storm victims are being accepted. Donations can be made online by visiting UpLiftJoCo.org/donate, in person by visiting any central Indiana Citizens Bank location, or by mailing a check to UpLift Johnson County at 3209 Smith Valley Road, Suite 146, Greenwood, IN 46142. For more information, contact Uplift at [email protected].
Whiteland helpline
The Volunteer and Family Assistance Center is located at the Clark-Pleasant administration building. To give help or get help call or text 317-671-6521 or email [email protected].
Document replacement
State officials will offer a one-stop document location for residents to replace documents lost starting Thursday at the Clark-Pleasant administration building.
The site will be open on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will not be open on Sunday, which is Easter.
Agencies represented include:
- Indiana Department of Homeland Security — recovery resources and information
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles — reproduction of identification, permits, title replacement, registrations and license plates;
- Indiana Department of Insurance — interpretation of insurance policies, information on lost or damaged policies, obtaining copies of insurance policies and car insurance assistance;
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — apply for state unemployment benefits; information on services available through the WorkOne offices;
- Family and Social Services Administration — replace Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit cards, health coverage application assistance;
- Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority — emergency hotel vouchers and short-term rental assistance for persons in need of immediate housing;
- Indiana Department of Health — replacement of vital birth and death certificates, WIC assistance and referrals for health services.
State orders insurance, license grace periods
The Indiana Department of Insurance, or IDOI, has directed insurance companies to implement a 60-day cancellation moratorium for any policyholder directly affected by the recent weather events in several counties, including Johnson County.
Affected policyholders in impacted counties will be granted an extension of 60 days to make premium payments without risk of penalties or policy cancellation. After the 60-day period, policyholders will be required to resume making premium payments. The IDOI requests insurance companies work with the impacted policyholders in paying the premiums that would be due during the moratorium period by either allowing a payment plan or extending the payment due date, according to a news release.
Additionally, the IDOI is providing similar courtesies to companies and licensees by implementing a 60-day grace period relating to renewal and cancellations for all licensees, certificate holders and registrants from the impacted areas. This includes premium tax and surplus lines premium tax filings. Any penalties assessed due to late payment during this period will be waived.
The 60-day extension also will be applied to the Continuing Education requirements to those producers from impacted areas, state officials said.
