Here’s how you can help Iowa communities recover after last week’s tornadoes

At least 17 tornadoes occurred in Iowa on April 26, causing damage in several counties and significant destruction, including one death, in the small Pottawattamie County town of Minden.

That is the latest count from the National Weather Service in Des Moines based on preliminary reports and completed storm surveys as teams continue to evaluate damage and determine ratings for additional tornadoes in the coming days.

If you want to help support the communities and people impacted by the severe weather, here’s how.

How can I help, Minden, Iowa recover from the tornado?

Minden remained closed off to the general public as of Monday afternoon due to debris and the use of heavy equipment in the town. As a result, officials are asking that volunteers and organizations don’t self-deploy to the area, according to a Pottawattamie County news release.

Cleanup efforts and securing infrastructure began during the weekend, and as needs arise and safety conditions improve, officials will announce volunteer opportunities.

Monetary donations are encouraged for those who wish to donate to help people affected by the Minden tornado, who can then purchase what they need, according to the news release.

How to make Minden-specific donations will be announced in the coming days. Currently, people can make donations to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund at givewesterniowa.org to support areas impacted in the region, according to the news release.

Readers’ Watchdog: Home damaged by weekend storms? Here’s what you need to know

How can I help Pleasant Hill, Iowa recover from the tornado?

Take an aerial look at the tornado damage Pleasant Hill suffered

A tornado swept through Pleasant Hill Friday, April 26, damaging a number of homes and power lines.

Provided by Polk County Iowa

The Pleasant Hill tornado, classified as an EF2, lasted roughly 12 minutes and caused one injury and damage to nearly 20 homes.

The city is not asking for physical donations, according to a news release on April 27. Financial donations can be made through the Disaster Recovery Fund, which the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has activated following the severe storms and tornado that affected Pleasant Hill.

Grants are awarded to community-based organizations and service providers responding to a disaster and grants are made to meet the needs not already being addressed by existing resources and programs, according to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

Pleasant Hill’s Facebook page encourages people needing assistance or wanting to offer assistance to call 211.

More: Parking is not allowed on some Pleasant Hill streets as crews clean up tornado debris

Looking for another way to help? Round up your purchase at Casey’s

Shoppers can round up their purchases at Casey’s stores in Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma as part of a campaign supporting the American Red Cross through May 10, said Katie Petru, a spokesperson for the convenience store chain.

Here are tips to avoid scams after disasters

People impacted by natural disasters such as a tornado should be aware of fraudulent contractors that take advantage of people in need of repairs.

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has some tips if you hire a contractor. Here are several:

• Work with an established, reputable local contractor.
• Legitimate contractors rarely solicit through door-to-door, so be skeptical about who shows up at your home.
• Avoid paying large sums of money to a contractor in advance. If you have to make a partial advance payment for materials, make your payment out to the supplier and the contractor and insist on a mechanic’s lien waiver in case the contractor fails to pay others.

People should also watch for scammers posing as officials with government disaster assistance agencies, according to the Federal Trade Commission. You can spot an imposter because they’ll demand money.

But scams aren’t limited to those impacted by a natural disaster.

People wanting to help those impacted by a natural disaster should be aware of scammers seeking donations for disaster relief. Donate to trusted, well-known charities and verify its legitimacy through its official website as scammers may create fake charities during natural disasters, according to the FTC.  

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.