Brenda Wright Richards points to a bag of spices in the newly built pantry of her once-tornado stricken home and smiles.
“That bag of spices made it through two tornadoes,” she says. “There’s still debris in the bottom of it.”
Her rural home, just a few miles outside Joplin, Mo., was all but destroyed when a tornado ripped off its roof and an exterior wall in May 2008. Brenda and her husband, Robert, survived the storm but were forced to abandon their home because of the damage it sustained. They moved to Joplin.
Last May another massive tornado struck the region. One hundred and sixty two people were killed and the Richards’ home was one of thousands of structure completely obliterated.
“It’s been a tragic three year stretch for us,” says Brenda.
With no place to live — the Richards returned to their heavily damaged rural home.
“I didn’t want to move back and be reminded of what happened here,” she says. “But I knew it was our only place to go.”
For more than five months the Richards lived without water and basic utilities. Feeling desperate, Brenda contacted the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee, which is helping Joplin families recover from the most recent tornado.
“I’ve never needed help before so it was hard to call,” admits Brenda. “I told them all we needed was water and a roof. Then they sent Convoy of Hope and they went above and beyond.”
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Convoy of Hope workers have replaced the Richards’ roof, reconnected water and sewer, added insulation and replaced siding. The home is now livable.
Convoy of Hope’s recent announcement of its Extreme Hope Fund on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will help many more families in Joplin, like the Richards, who need help beyond what government agencies and insurance companies can provide.
“This is part of our commitment to continue helping families recover from this tragedy,” says Kary Kingsland, senior vice president of Global Initiatives for Convoy of Hope.
Standing in her living room, Brenda holds a newspaper from 2008 with the word ‘Devastation’ and a photo of tornado damage splashed across the front page.
“I’m thankful for Convoy of Hope,” she says. “We’re starting over again. Hopefully it’ll be the last time.”
Affected Joplin residents can apply for financial assistance from the Extreme Hope fund through the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee by calling 417-625-9192.
