At Our Best in Crisis, But Are We Prepared?

It’s so difficult to imagine that powerful tornadoes can leave a path of destruction across our Commonwealth in such a short period of time, yet require weeks, months, maybe even years for communities to recover.  For the communities left with this daunting task, this is their new reality.  Yesterday I returned from New Orleans, a city that also has first-hand experience with devastation, loss and rebuilding.  New Orleans, seven years following Hurricane Katrina, Kentucky and our surrounding states post-tornado are powerful reminders of the essential role of our nonprofit sector.

It’s in these times of disaster, ruin and chaos that we see the nonprofit sector at its best.  Organizations, their staff, and volunteers engaging quickly to provide safe shelter, a warm meal, a change of clothes, a helping hand with clean-up, a needed hug or hand to hold – when many times, these organizations and individuals themselves also suffered great loss.  But that’s what nonprofits do and do so well – act, care, mobilize, collaborate, offer hope.  It’s this compassion and commitment to meeting the needs of our neighbors that makes me so proud to be a part of this resilient sector and humbled to serve nonprofits across Kentucky.

Danielle Clore

Executive Director