Nebraska Tornado Relief
April 2024
Last updated: October 2024
Within two days of a series of 80 devastating tornadoes, our team arrived in Nebraska to organize volunteer efforts with local groups and clear debris. In a short yet effective response, we completed 28 cleanup sites and coordinated nearly 1,000 volunteers for tornado recovery.
Our Work
All Hands and Hearts (AHAH) is dedicated to reacting as quickly as possible in the crucial moments post-disaster. Our Disaster Assessment Response Team (DART) and volunteers arrived within two days of the tornadoes to assist the close-knit local communities of Elkhorn and Blair, Nebraska. We quickly developed partnerships with local entities such as Omaha Rapid Response (ORR), offering our support in coordinating hundreds of volunteers who showed up every day with hands, heavy machinery, energy and chainsaws.
Over 15 days, the AHAH team completed 28 cleanup and debris removal worksites, impacting 49 residents. In addition, AHAH supported the coordination of nearly 1,000 volunteers across multiple organizations to increase efficiency.
Disaster Profile
Severe storms struck Nebraska and Iowa on Friday night, April 26, with nearly 80 tornadoes touching down within a few hours. Most of these tornadoes were categorized as “strong” (EF2 – EF3) on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with winds up to 135 mph. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, but Omaha, Nebraska, and its suburbs, along with some smaller Iowa towns, experienced significant damage. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, leaving behind a trail of devastation. After assessing the damage and local capacity, AHAH decided to focus our efforts on the suburbs of Omaha in Elkhorn and Blair.
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