July 10, 2011

When a deadly tornado hit Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, killing 161 people and destroying much of the town, Family-to-Family reached out to help.

Using our 1-to-1 model, we matched 55 families that lost homes and belongings in the tornado with sponsors from around the country. Each sponsor first sent a duffel bag for their Joplin family…providing a place to put recovered possessions. Included with the duffle was a questionnaire that asked what items were needed most. After getting the answers back, sponsors sent packages filled with those most needed items — (e.g. blankets, sheets, & clothing) and/or gift cards…and wrote to “their” families as well.  And when  the internet company Groupon featured Family-to-Family’s Joplin effort on its website in June 2011, we raised enough money to help an additional 11 Joplin families – bringing the total helped to 66 families.