WHITELAND, Ind. — Friday marked one week since more than 20 tornadoes touched down in Indiana. Five people died and hundreds of buildings were destroyed.
One of the hardest hit towns was Whiteland in Johnson County.
A week later, many Hoosiers are still trying to put their lives back together and figure out what to do next.
The England family spent the day going through rubble in their home to salvage what they could.
“Just a lot of sentimental things,” said Amanda England. “So, that’s what I’ve been looking for. Anything salvageable, really.”
Their home on Pearl Street took a direct hit Friday night as the three of them huddled in a small bathroom. Somehow, they managed to escape without a scratch.
“Blessed. Fortunate. Thank God our daughter told us to get in the bathroom,” England said.
Even though they are thankful to have each other, they are still overwhelmed by the amount of work that’s still ahead.
“We are just kind of like, ‘OK, we need to do this. We need to do that.’ Something comes up every day and we are trying to keep up with everything. It’s not easy,” said Ronnie England.
But volunteers like Rodger Foster and his wife are making it easier. The two drove around Friday morning looking for people to help.
“There are a lot of people out here that need help still,” Foster said. “It seems like most people have water but right now they just need more boots on the ground.”
Down the street at the Clark-Pleasant Community Schools Administration Building, state agencies are also on standby. It’s a one-stop shop for tornado survivors needing resources.
“We are trying to collect individuals' information to understand what they need and what their long-term recovery issues might be and then we are also here to initiate those services and start helping to find out if they need shelter or food or clothing replacement,” said Mary Moran, director of emergency management and preparedness for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
The agencies can help people look up insurance policies, sign up for unemployment, find mental health help, sign up for temporary housing, get a new driver’s license or birth certificate.
The agencies include the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Indiana Department of Insurance, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Family and Social Services Administration, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Department of Health and Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
“There is so much to think about for those individuals that sometimes it’s just talking to them and saying, ‘Now you need to do this step and you need to do that step.’ That’s part of what all these people are doing,” Moran said.
The one-stop shop will be open till next Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. They will not be open this Sunday.
For updates on volunteer help and relief efforts click here.