Donation Center Now Set Up For Those Affected By The May 7th Tornadoes

The devastating EF2 tornado that tore through Portage and surrounding areas on May 7th left a trail of destruction in its wake.

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With winds reaching up to 135 mph, the 11-mile path carved by the tornado left at least 60 buildings being destroyed and another 129 sustaining major damage.

While there were a few minor injuries reported, fortunately, no fatalities occurred.

In response to the severe weather, the community has rallied together to support everyone affected.

Gryphon Place, a local organization, has established a donation center at 9246 Portage Industrial Drive off Shaver Road to aid those in need.

The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is accepting a wide range of essential items.

Accepted Donations

The donation center is accepting

• first aid supplies
• baby/infant and new/expecting mother materials
• paper products
• repackaging/moving materials
• hygiene items
• cleaning supplies
• household items
• pet supplies
• recovery and building supplies
• bulk water.

Monetary donations in the form of $50 gift cards to Meijer, Target, or Walmart are also welcomed.

Assistance for Affected Residents

The City of Portage has launched a Donations Hotline at 269.251.2211, where affected residents can call to request specific items and arrange for pickup or delivery by volunteers.

For food assistance, residents can contact Loaves & Fishes at 269.343.3663 or email info@kzoolf.org.

Goodwill is also accepting applications for vouchers to help replace lost items at gethelp@goodwillswmi.org.

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation and the United Way of South Central Michigan have established disaster relief funds to support recovery efforts.