The Tri-County Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) recently received the Good Neighbor Award from the American Red Cross, recognizing its steady humanitarian leadership following the Arbor Day tornadoes of 2024. The award highlights the coalition’s unique strength: a flexible, latticed system that adapts to changing needs across Douglas and Washington counties while keeping survivor support at the center.
This work is part of a broader recovery effort supported by nonprofits, government agencies, volunteer groups, and philanthropic partners. After the initial crisis response ended, the Omaha Community Foundation established the LTRG and hired a Disaster Recovery Coordinator to bring structure, communication, and coordination to the long-tail challenges that follow a disaster. Today, the coalition manages casework, unmet needs, volunteer coordination, resource navigation, and community assessments, all while planning for future emergencies.
“A community foundation exists to meet needs as they arise, even in times of great challenge,” said Anne Meysenburg, OCF Director of Community Investment. “By understanding what our community requires and helping to build the LTRG, we demonstrate our commitment to resilience and recovery.”
The impact is already visible in the lives of survivors. One example is Max, a single father and non-native English speaker who spent his savings on repairs and basic expenses after a divorce. Facing the real possibility of homelessness, he connected with the LTRG and received support through the Neighbor Recovery Fund. That assistance covered critical repairs and debris removal, stabilizing his home and giving him a path forward as he returns to work and parenting.
At the same time, the LTRG is helping navigate deeply complex recovery cases that require legal support, technical expertise, and patient coordination. Blair Freeman, the coalition’s survivor owner’s representative, is currently supporting an elderly Washington County resident whose home shifted off its foundation and is no longer structurally secure. Insurance denied the claim, leaving her with few financial options and significant safety concerns. The LTRG is working with partners to explore viable reconstruction paths while ensuring she remains rooted in her community. Cases like this reveal the depth of coordination required to guide survivors through situations no household can navigate alone.
“For the Long-term Recovery Group, they get plugged in wherever the need changes,” said Laura Contreras, OCF Senior Program Manager. “If the group determines that the need changes, the structure stays the same. This is a latticed approach that can be flexed for the needs of the moment.”
To date, the Nebraska Tornado Recovery Fund, launched by the Omaha Community Foundation in the immediate aftermath of the April 2024 Arbor Day tornadoes, has deployed a total of $1,103,357 to support impacted families. A key component of this effort is the Neighbor Recovery Fund, a collaborative initiative that helps fill financial gaps for households still rebuilding. In partnership with The Salvation Army, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, First Lutheran Church in Blair, and the Washington County Long-Term Recovery Group, more than $739,000 has been committed across 93 approved requests, directly supporting 41 households with urgent needs like home repairs, debris removal, moving expenses, and other essential needs. These investments reflect a region-wide commitment to helping survivors rebuild and regain stability long after the initial emergency.
More than a year after the tornado, the work continues. With each home repair, case management milestone, volunteer effort, and community partnership, the LTRG is helping survivors regain stability while strengthening the region’s long-term resilience.
