By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post

American Red Cross is partnering with local disaster assistance organizations to offer information on resources for those impacted by recent flooding.

Buchanan County Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Brinton said the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) is a location where state agencies and local agencies will come and meet with victims of a disaster.

“It’s a standard procedure following a disaster. They will tell them what different kinds of resources are available to help them get their lives back in order,” Brinton said. “They will check you in, and you will go from station to station to find out what type of help is available for you. They even have a place for children where they can play games and stuff. It’s kind of in a stress-free environment where people can find out what kind of help is out there for them.”

The Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) will be open at the following locations and dates from noon to 7 p.m. each day:

4/8/19 Atchison County, Velma Houts Building, 201 E. Hwy 136, Rock Port, MO

4/9/19 Buchanan County, The Keys Christian Church Gymnasium, 6001 S. 9th St., St. Joseph

4/10/19 Holt County, Mound City R2 Multipurpose Room, 708 Nebraska St., Mound City, MO

 

The Red Cross, along with representatives from government, nonprofit, and religiously-affiliated disaster relief organizations will be on hand at the MARC to assist those impacted.

Individuals and families applying for assistance are required to bring identification showing address and proof of residence to be eligible for assistance from some agencies.

Brinton said anyone who has been impacted by the flood should come to one of the Resource Center locations next week.

“We did damage assessment on 61 homes in Lewis and Clark Village and I think that the City of St. Joseph did damage assessment on approximately 10 houses, so there’s at least 71 different families who should be attending this.”

Brinton added he anticipates 59 Highway could possibly open on Monday but they are continuing to monitor conditions on a day-to-day basis.

By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post

Second Harvest Community Food Bank is implementing a change they hope will ultimately serve more food insecure families in the area.

Second Harvest plans to transition it’s Fresh Start program to holding a weekly Mega Mobile.

Second Harvest Communications Coordinator Blake Haynes said Fresh Start is on-site pantry for non-perishable goods as well as meat, dairy and more. Haynes compares the Mega Mobile, which was first held in December, to a fresh mobile pantry. They distributed fresh produce, lean proteins, milk and more to the general public.

Two other separate Mega Mobiles were held in February and March, providing over 21,000 pounds of fresh produce and more.

“Having this transition, we think, is going to better serve our members that utilize our services,” Haynes said. “It also opens it up to other members that may be on the income guideline, right there on that threshold, that aren’t able to utilize our services because they make, maybe, $50 more than what is allowed, so it opens this program up to them. It’s going to be able to allow us to reach more of those that are in need.”

Effective May 6th, Fresh Start will only be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“This is going to lead into a weekly Mega Mobile that will take effect July 1st, so the Fresh Start program is going to be transitioning into a weekly mobile there on site at Second Harvest, at 915 Douglas. We’re reaching those that we’re not currently reaching through the Fresh Start pantry,” Haynes said. “Another thing is… it addresses some weather, health and safety concerns. Now with the Mega Mobile, you’re in your car, you’re not out in the elements, you’re driving right up getting your product.”

Haynes said, moving forward, with the Mega Mobile being open to the general public, it will eliminate the need for a pantry card to utilize those services. To obtain a pantry card, members have to apply on-site and have access to their personal identification documents, which not all can provide.

Dates and times for each Mega Mobile will be sent out through Second Harvest’s text message notification system, TextCaster. To register for TextCaster, contact Second Harvest at (816) 364-3663.

Eleven people were transported to the hospital after a crash Thursday afternoon in St. Joseph.

According to Sgt. Chris McBane with the St. Joseph Police Department, shortly before 2 p.m., a Chevrolet Tahoe turned in front of a 15 passenger van at King Hill Ave. and Alabama St. and was hit by the van. McBane said 13 people were in the van and 11 were transported to Mosaic Life Care with minor injuries.

No injuries were reported for the driver of the Tahoe, who was issued a traffic summons for failure to yield.