The Benton County Relief Fund, a partnership for Benton County cities and citizens, announced that it is providing short-term financial assistance to Benton County households impacted by the devastating storms of May 26, 2024. The Fund will also support local nonprofit service providers for their disaster responses for Benton County and all affected communities therein.
“The only thing more staggering than the damage wreaked by these storms is the outpouring of generosity we’ve seen,” said Benton County Judge Barry Moehring. “A tremendous amount of calls have come in from folks wanting to help with the ongoing relief efforts. The question has been ‘where can we tell them to go?’”
In response, a coalition of government, business and philanthropic institutions created the Benton County Relief Fund. The fund will be administered by Excellerate Foundation, which previously partnered with Benton County on distributing Emergency Rental Assistance funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Benton County Relief Fund is a centralized, local resource that can assist both individuals and nonprofit service providers at the same time,” said Jeff Webster, president and CEO of Excellerate Foundation. “It complements other relief funding from agencies like the Red Cross and FEMA by covering needs that they might not consider eligible and by having a fast turnaround time to address the most critical needs quickly.”
Households that live in Benton County, were directly impacted by the May 26 storms, and make $125,000 or less annually are eligible for the fund. Residents will also receive customized resource plans that will connect them to as many resources as possible to ensure their needs are met. Those needing aid can fill out the form at harknwa.com/get-help to start the process.
Support for nonprofit providers that serve Benton County will be rolling out shortly, with additional details to be released in the coming days.
The fund has already received contributions from Excellerate Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, but the scope of the storm damage means that more help is desperately needed.
Contributions to the Benton County Relief Fund can be made at bentoncountyrelieffund.com. All contributions are tax-deductible, and 100% of all funds raised will go directly to relief efforts.
**Photos courtesy of Will Rusch
