Kentucky Flood Relief

July 2022 – September 2022

In 2022, we mobilized a volunteer-powered disaster relief program in response to the devastating and historical flash floodings that occurred in eastern Kentucky on July 27, 2022. Our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) quickly responded to the event and had boots on the ground assessing the damage within four days and a program running by August.

Our Work

Our six-week Kentucky Flood Relief program in 2022 mobilized over 400 volunteers to support the immediate needs of those impacted by devastating flooding. As we worked on homes requiring debris removal and muck and guts, our team connected with local community members to assess homes in harder-to-access areas and the surrounding counties. We found entire homes floating in creeks and debris on the tops of trees, indicating how high water levels rose and the extent of infrastructure destroyed.

Our team conducted essential response work on 85 homes. We built local capacity by providing training in home sanitization to remove the damaging impact of black mold and organizing a dehumidifier loan program for community members to access this vital resource long after our program closed.

Disaster Profile

Heavy rains hit eastern Kentucky on July 27 into the morning of July 28, 2022, causing historic flash flooding. Heavy rains continued in the area and, in some places, were up to the roofline of homes, causing widespread damage and displacement. The flooding caused 37 casualties and left thousands without power. According to the National Weather Service, the record-breaking storm had a 1 in 1,000 chance for this much rainfall to occur in five days in a given year. Affected areas included Perry County, Knott County, Breathitt County, Clay County, Floyd County and surrounding areas.

Program History

Johnson Country, Kentucky | July - August, 2015

Heavy storms caused flash flooding in areas of Kentucky on July 6, 2015, devastating an eight-mile stretch of residential neighborhoods and rural land. In Johnson County, the most affected region of Kentucky, there were reportedly 150 homes completely destroyed, with 400 more severely damaged. Our response team managed the main Donations Center, helping those who lost everything. Teams in the field also did minor tree work and cleared debris in creeks that were in danger of more flooding.