Thousands of volunteers helping to rebuild after tornadoes wreak havoc in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Cleanup efforts are just getting started after tornadoes tore apart communities in southeast Nebraska on Friday.

Omaha Rapid Response is helping to organize volunteers and victims in Elkhorn.

Felix Ungerman, the director, said many of the victims who lost their homes are still in shock.

“They have nothing in an instant and they don’t know what to do,” he said. “We’re trying to, in partnership with them, mobilize the resources so we can help them get through this.”

Businesses and volunteers set up a camp in Elkhorn on Sunday with food, water and other resources to aid in the aftermath.

Even with weather threats all weekend, Ungerman said they’ve seen a huge turnout for those wanting to do their part in rebuilding.

Nearly 5,000 volunteers have been working from early morning until sundown to speed up the process.

Omaha Rapid Response teams are out in multiple affected areas.

Major companies like T-Mobile and Hy-Vee have employees and resources at the Elkhorn camp to pitch in.

“We’ll be out here as long as we’re needed,” said Frank Woodward, the regional vice president of Hy-Vee. “We’re for sure going to be out here tomorrow with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then, we’re going to kind of play it by ear to see what the need is for the rest of the week. We’re on call to assist wherever we need to.”

It’s not just food and water the camp is providing; it’s also crews operating heavy machinery to move large pieces of debris.

“A lot of neighborhoods that really got hit hard where the houses are gone,” Ungerman said. “Many of them have extensive damage.”

The droves of volunteers helping this weekend are much appreciated, but Ungerman said there is growing concern that there will not be enough people to keep the momentum going during the week.

He’s asking anyone with free time to contribute however they can.