West Virginia Flood Hotline Links Victims to Volunteers
Flood victims in West Virginia now have a direct line to help thanks to volunteers who set up a coordination hotline connecting residents with free cleanup, repairs, and supplies. The HOPE Trailer is bringing together local volunteers and nonprofits from across the country to rebuild communities house by house.
When flooding hit Lewis and Upshur counties in West Virginia, volunteers didn't wait for residents to find help. They brought help directly to them.
Flood victims can now call (304) 454-5053 to reach the HOPE Trailer hotline, where volunteers match them with people ready to help clean homes, deliver supplies, and make repairs. The service runs weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., stationed outside the Lewis County donation center at Market Place Mall in Weston.
City officials partnered with Hope Gas to create the coordination hub. Within hours of launching, the hotline was already connecting contractors with homeowners who needed foundation repairs and coordinating teams to help muck out flooded houses.
"We're coordinating volunteer efforts to be able to get back out into the community, help muck out houses, to help clean out houses that have been affected by the flood," said Doug Bigelow, Executive Director of the US OHV Alliance. He'd just returned from a site where a contractor was repairing a foundation for a family in need.
The Ripple Effect
The response has drawn volunteers and nonprofit organizations from across the entire country. What started as a local effort has become a national show of support, with teams traveling to West Virginia to rebuild communities they'd never visited before.
Calhoun County Commissioner Eric Lupardus watched the volunteers arrive with visible pride. "So proud of all the people coming from all over the country in here," he said, noting the wave of nonprofits offering assistance.
U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, along with U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, plan to visit in coming weeks to support the relief work. Their involvement signals that this grassroots effort has captured attention at the highest levels.
For families facing the overwhelming task of rebuilding after a flood, one phone call now connects them to an army of helpers ready to get to work. As Lupardus put it simply: "We need to rebuild. And we're going to."
Based on reporting by Google: volunteers help
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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