Upper Valley Rallies After Record Flooding and Power Outages

The windstorm in mid December felled many trees in the Upper Valley, including this one that landed on the corner of one of MEND's rental units. Despite significant damage to property, fortunately there were no reports of serious injuries from the storm in the Upper Valley.

In mid-December, record flooding and 70 mile-an-hour winds caused major power outages and road closures, and damaged the homes of many Upper Valley residents.

Almost as quickly as the mayhem ensued, people in the Upper Valley and beyond began looking for ways to help. Local organizations began compiling lists of resources and organizing groups of people to help with cleanup. Several businesses near Lake Wenatchee offered places to stay for those whose flooded homes had become uninhabitable. Donations poured into Upper Valley MEND from all over the country to support those affected by the storm.

Although MEND’s programs were temporarily stymied by the power outage, after a brief pause in services, employees and volunteers returned to work. Despite having already served a record number of visitors at the Community Cupboard in November, new signups spiked. Rental assistance became essential, as many people scrambled to find new places to live. Social worker Liz Hazen helped put several people up in hotels temporarily until other lodging could be arranged. Das Thrift helped replace clothing and other items lost during the storm.

As of the end of December, MEND has provided more than $22,000 in financial assistance to people affected by the flood and the storm, not including increased use at the Community Cupboard.

Local Workforce Hit Hard by Lapse in Tourism

Stevens Pass employees were hit especially hard. The unseasonably warm weather delayed the start of the ski season. Highway 2 closures made it impossible for skiers to reach the resort until the Department of Transportation began allowing traffic up the east side of the pass via a pilot car. With no work, employees reached out for help with food and rent assistance.

Although getting people into safe homes has been a priority, it is just one aspect of the storm’s effects. Many local employees lost work when the power outage forced the Village of Lights Festival to pause. One woman who had been teetering on the edge of being able to make ends meet came to MEND in the wake of the storm—she could no longer keep things afloat on her own.

Many people have reached out to MEND, asking about additional ways they can help. Helping to spread the word about MEND’s programs by sharing our Storm Relief Resource Page is one option. MEND staff are also working on additional ways to support the Upper Valley community and will share more about those options via email in the next few days.

In the meantime, we are grateful to everyone who has reached out—your concern and desire to help the Upper Valley community is heard and much appreciated.