Five Ways to Help Lee County Tornado Victims

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2019/03/Image_from_iOS.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1440;s:4:"file";s:26:"2019/03/Image_from_iOS.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"Image_from_iOS-1536x1152.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1152;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"Image_from_iOS-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"Image_from_iOS-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:1119609;s:14:"optimized_size";i:492675;s:7:"percent";d:56;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:7133;s:14:"optimized_size";i:6692;s:7:"percent";d:6.1799999999999997;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:23617;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22313;s:7:"percent";d:5.5199999999999996;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:101269;s:14:"optimized_size";i:96417;s:7:"percent";d:4.79;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:3080;s:14:"optimized_size";i:2819;s:7:"percent";d:8.4700000000000006;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:46379;s:14:"optimized_size";i:44144;s:7:"percent";d:4.8200000000000003;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:24964;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23685;s:7:"percent";d:5.1200000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:33651;s:14:"optimized_size";i:31923;s:7:"percent";d:5.1399999999999997;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:25888;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24477;s:7:"percent";d:5.4500000000000002;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:5958;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5585;s:7:"percent";d:6.2599999999999998;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:1391548;s:14:"optimized_size";i:750730;s:7:"percent";d:46.049999999999997;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Miranda Fulmore
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1657930393 
1551717564

Twenty-three people lost their lives and dozens more were injured in the powerful tornado that swept through Lee County Sunday. Many lost their homes, loved ones, and pets. Here are five ways to help those affected.

Update — March 22, 2019 – 3:00 p.m.

Donate Supplies or Money

You can donate perishable supplies at Greater Peace Baptist Church. Goree’s Furniture is taking items such as food, diapers and clothing. They’ll pick up the items.
Greater Peace Baptist Church: 650 Jeter Ave, Opelika, AL 36801
Goree’s Furniture: 334-742-0607

Want to give money? The Red Cross of East Alabama and the Salvation Army are accepting donations, and the United Way of Central Alabama created a disaster relief fund.

More options:

Samaritan’s Purse International Relief
Community Foundation of East Alabama Tornado relief
The Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund

Volunteer

Church of the Highlands is organizing volunteers to help those in need and to assist in clean up efforts. Text the word “response” to 74000 to get updates on ways to get involved.

Give Blood

The East Alabama Medical Center has treated more than 40 people after the tornado. You can make a blood donation through LifeSouth. The Opelika location is at 505 E Thomason Circle, 36801.

Help Lost or Displaced Pets

Opelika Animal Hospital is boarding displaced pets for free.

Help with Shelter Needs

Smith Station Fire & Rescue is distributing donations.

 

You can also follow the Lee County Emergency Management Agency on Twitter for volunteer and donation updates.

Know of more to add to the list? Let us know. Email news@wbhm.org. 

 

Increase in military aid to Ukraine marks a shift in White House policy toward Russia

The Pentagon and U.S. military officials in Europe are working with NATO members to ship more Patriot missile systems to Ukraine and release more munitions that were briefly halted.

U.S. senator wants DOGE out of sensitive payment system for farmers

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., wants the USDA to revoke high-level access granted to the Department of Government Efficiency to a database that controls payments and loans to farmers and ranchers.

Lawyer says an Alabama teen who was killed by police was shot in the back

Authorities have not released police body camera video of the June 23 encounter or disclosed the name of the officer who shot 18-year-old Jabari Peoples in the parking lot of a soccer field in the affluent Birmingham suburb of Homewood. They also haven't released the findings of the county's official autopsy.

An Israeli restaurant owner quits a controversial Gaza food program after criticism

Shahar Segal, who runs popular restaurants around the world, has left his role as a spokesman for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation amid calls to boycott his businesses.

Trump’s pick for U.N. Ambassador grilled over Signal chat scandal

Former national security adviser Mike Waltz, who was removed from office amid the Signal chat controversy, spent Tuesday in the Senate confirmation hearing for his nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

5 takeaways from the 2025 Emmy nominations

Apple TV+ must be happy about how many nominations they've raked in this year for hit shows including Severance and The Studio, NPR critic Linda Holmes says.

More Environment Coverage