Resources for those affected
FEMA
Apply for Disaster Housing Assistance.
Private Insurance
You must file with your insurance company.
Information Specific to Bremer County Residents
Hawkeye Chapter of the American Red Cross
For immediate needs.
Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging
May have financial assistance for elders (60+) affected by the floods. Call their Senior Helpline for assistance at 319.272.1767 or 877.538.0508.
Northeast Iowa Food Bank
Assist with food needs.
The Salvation Army
For immediate needs.
2-1-1
Call 2-1-1 (or 866.IOWA.211 if you have trouble getting through) to connect to local resources available in your area.
Ways you can help
Volunteer
Cedar Falls/North Cedar, 273-8600
Food
Food donations can be made to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, 106 E. 11th Street, Waterloo, IA 50703, 319.235.0507.
Cash Donations
Cash contributions can be directed to the Cedar Valley United Way: Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery Fund, 425 Cedar St., Suite 300, Waterloo, IA 50701.
Clothing
Clothing donations can be given to The Salvation Army, 89 Franklin Street, Waterloo.
Media Links
If you know of additional resources, please contact Cedar Valley United Way.
Ladder of Assistance
Step 1 Voluntary Agencies—Immediate needs: food and shelter.
American Red Cross-Hawkeye Chapter 319-234-6831
The Salvation Army 319-235-9358
Step 2 Insurance—You must apply with your own insurance company.
Step 3 FEMA Disaster Housing Assistance
FEMA 1-800-621-3362 or www.fema.gov
Towers Dining Center at UNI, Cedar Falls
Pinecrest Building, 1407 Independence Ave., Waterloo
Step 4 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)—This is your first step for long-term recovery. You must apply for SBA before you can more forward. This is for small businesses as well as individuals and families.
Step 5 Black Hawk County Disaster Recover Coalition—Assistance from local agencies for disaster related needs not covered by other programs.
Business Information Meetings:
Federal Disaster Assistance (FEMA) – www.fema.gov or (800) 621-3362 or
Small Business Association (SBA) – www.sba.gov or (800) 659-2955
UNI Regional Business Center– www.unirbc.org, www.iowasbdc.org, or (319) 236-8123
MyEntreNet Business Recovery Forum– www.myentre.net – Business Recovery Forum takes place daily at Noon
Greater Cedar Valley Alliance– (319) 232-1156
Greater Cedar Valley Chambers– (319) 233-8431 or (319) 266-3593
Child Care
Child Care Resource and Referral, 1-800-475-0804
McKinstry Elementary, 1410 Independence Avenue, Waterloo 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Clean-Up Kits
Living Water Church of Nazarene, Cedar Falls
The Salvation Army, 235-9358
Northeast Iowa Food Bank, 235-0507
Clean up kits have been delivered to Washburn, Finchford and LaPorte City
Clothing
Goodwill Industries, 2640 Falls Ave., Waterloo. Call 234-4626 and as for Star Rupp.
The Salvation Army, 89 Franklin St., Waterloo 319-235-9358. You must report in person and ask for Judy Gilstrap.
St. Vincent DePaul Store, 320 Boradway St., Waterloo. Call 232-3366 for details.
Debris Clean-Up
Cedar Falls (generally in the areas of Central Ave., Big Woods Rd., Longview St., Center St., and Joanne St.) —Starting June 16 all smaller loose items need to be bagged or boxed for curb-side removal and sorted in the following piles:
• Household Hazardous Materials
• Appliances
• Large Bulk Materials (such as carpet, furniture, and bagged debris)
• Yard Waste
Rural Black Hawk County—Contact the Black Hawk County Engineer’s office 833-3008. June 17-July 1..
Disaster Recovery Centers
UNI Commons, University of Northern Iowa campus
Pinecrest Building, Independence Avenue, Waterloo
Food
Northeast Iowa Food Bank, 106 E. 11th St, Waterloo 319-235-0507 or 1-888-634-3248
Emergency Food Stamps, 1-877-937-3663
WIC-235-5092
Living Water Church of Nazarene, Cedar Falls
Housing
The City of Cedar Falls is currently trying to determine housing needs for people affected by the flooding. We do not know what will be available. It would be helpful to know exactly what the needs are as we work to figure out what can be done to provide temporary housing.
People affected by the flooding are asked to fill out the survey, which is available at North Cedar Elementary School, the Petro Express, 2228 Lincoln Street, and City Hall. People also may print the survey from www.cedarfalls.com and return it to any of these locations.
Information and Referral
United Way 2-1-1 (dial 2-1-1, just like 9-1-1) or 1-866-469-2211
Laundry
Beginning Saturday, June 21st, families are encouraged to drop off their laundry to be washed, dried and folded by the Tide CleanStart team, free of charge in the Central Middle School parking lot at 1350 Katoski Drive, Waterloo. The Tide CleanStart truck is prepared to help all people whose clothing and personal items have been impacted by the flooding. This service will be available through July 3rd and is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Medications
Your Primary Care Physician
Black Hawk County, 291-2624
Allen Women’s Health Center, 235-5090
People’s Community Health Clinic, 272-4300
Mental Health
Black Hawk County Mental Health Services, 292-2272
Black Hawk Grundy Mental Health, 234-2893
Neighborhood Clean-Up
LAFNOW and NFL Neighborhood Associations is scheduled for Saturday, June 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the old Lafayette School at Lafayette and Colorado Streets.
Private Wells and Septic Tanks
Black Hawk County Health Department-291-2413
The Black Hawk County Health Department, Environmental Health Program will begin distributing water test kits today, June 25, 2008.
Kits will be available at the following locations:
- Cedar Falls Public Library (Open 9AM – 9PM)
- Kits will be available after 1:30PM, June 25, 2008
- La Porte City, City Hall (Open 8AM – 5 PM, Monday - Friday)
- Kits will be available after 2PM, June 25, 2008
- Waterloo City Hall (Open 8AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday)
- Kits will be available after 3 PM, June 25, 2008)
Test kits will also be available from Monday – Wednesday the week of June 30, 2008. Test kits can also be obtained from the Health Department located on the 5th floor of the Pinecrest Building, 1407 Independence Avenue in Waterloo between 8AM and 4:30PM, Monday – Thursday.
Test kits will not be available at any of the locations on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Telephone
Free call forwarding from Qwest 1-800-573-1311
Tetanus Shots
Black Hawk County Health Department, 291-2413
Tips on Hiring a Contractor
- Be wary of contractors that come to you offering repair or cleanup services such as tree or debris removal. Please confirm that the contractor was hired by the city to cleanup any flood debris.
- Check references.
- Get a written estimate.
- Ask for proof of insurance.
- Use reliable, licensed contractors. Call the Labor Services Division of Iowa Workforce Development at (515) 281-5387 or (800) JOB-IOWA, check online for a list of registered Iowa contractors http://www2.iwd.state.ia.us/contractor.nsf or check with the Better Business Bureau at (800) 222-1600 to inquire about a business before signing a contract. Please also feel free to contact either Chamber office for a list of local contractors.
- Insist on a written contract.
- Never sign a blank contract or one with blank spaces.
- Get guarantees in writing.
- Obtain a local building permit.
- Make final payments only when the work is completed.
- Pay by credit card or check. The safest route is to write a check to the contracting company.
- Report contractor fraud to your local police department, the Iowa State Patrol HELP line at (800) 525-5555 and the Iowa Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at (515) 281-5926 or (888) 777-4590.
Unemployment
Black Hawk and Buchanan counties flooded workers that missed work because of the flood maybe able to get some unemployment. Joe Berid at 515-281-8117 or Kerry Koonce 515-2810-9646 can give you more information. More counties might be available. www.iowaworkforce.org
Utilities
Residents that have had their utilities shut off due to flooding and need an inspection before the utilities can be restored should call 291-4319 with their name and address. Black Hawk County will provide an inspector on a first come first served basis.
Volunteer
To Volunteer
Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery Hotline, 429-0356
Cedar Falls/North Cedar-273-8600
Samaritan’s Purse contact Prairie Lakes Church at 266-2655
Need Volunteers
Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery Hotline, 429-0356
Cedar Falls/North Cedar-273-8600
Samaritan’s Purse contact Prairie Lakes Church at 266-2655
Iowa Volunteer Hotline-1-800-447-1985
1-866-GET-INFO
Water
Living Water Church of Nazarene, Cedar Falls
Northeast Iowa Food Bank, 235-0507
Web-Sites
www.flood2008.iowa.gov
http://www.iowaworkforce.org/recovery/
Yard Waste
Waterloo- The Easton Avenue yard waste disposal site has reopened.
Human Service Agencies Unite to Help Flood Victims
WATERLOO, IA—Thirty-four human service agencies in Black Hawk County have been invited by Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery to meet Monday to identify aid and services needed to assist victims of the recent floods. The group of agencies will coordinate assistance to make it easier for individuals to seek assistance and to enhance communication between all agencies during the process. The Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery group plans to help victims once they have utilized the services of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, FEMA and private insurance.
Donations are being accepted through Cedar Valley United Way to meet the needs of victims of this disaster. Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery will meet on a case-by-case basis until the unmet needs of the community are cared for.
People in need of assistance can call United Way 2-1-1 to get a list of resources available to flood victims.
Contributions to the fund can be sent to Cedar Valley United Way: Black Hawk County Disaster Recovery Fund, 425 Cedar St., Suite 300, Waterloo, IA 50701. For more information, contact Donna Harvey, Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging Executive Director, at 319-272-2244, or Sheila Baird, Cedar Valley United Way President, at 319-235-6211 ext. 21.
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