CORE EMERGENCY RESPONSE | MAY 2025

CORE responded to the Kentucky Tornadoes, the third major disaster to hit the area in 2025

In May 2025, powerful tornadoes tore through Missouri, Kentucky, and Virginia, leaving a wide path of destruction and claiming at least 28 lives. CORE rapidly deployed to southeastern Kentucky, where storms leveled homes, uprooted trees, and left debris strewn across rural communities.

While residents mobilized to help their neighbors locate precious belongings and clear debris, our team connected with local churches, fire departments, and community response groups to fill urgent gaps to support their efforts.

“People in Kentucky have been bearing the brunt of disasters these last couple of months: first, flooding in February, more flooding in April, and now tornadoes,” shared George Hernandez Mejia, CORE’s Emergency Response Director. “Many of the communities impacted are tired and vulnerable, especially those already grappling with housing insecurity, poverty, and limited recovery resources.”

With more and more climate disasters reaching rural areas unaccustomed to severe weather, reinforcing locally led efforts has proven more important than ever.

Together, with support from Lowe’s and Good360, we purchased and distributed waterproof containers so families can store their belongings that survived the storm and supported debris removal with our partners from All Hands and Hearts. Alongside the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, First Presbyterian Church of London, and Iglesia Hispana Bethel, we distributed fuel gift cards to people using generators for power and local machinery operators who generously jumped in to lead recovery efforts in the area.

Greg White, a business owner and heavy machine operator based in Laurel County, Kentucky, had been helping tornado-impacted communities for seven days straight, lending his equipment to take cars off homes and remove roofs and walls so people could sift through their belongings. He received a fuel gift card from CORE to offset the cost of his efforts.

“It’s my people in the local community…I’ve had trucks and equipment out here from Day One. It’s just huge that everybody’s come together…It’s humbling how much support we’ve had, local and out of state.”

In Kentucky and around the world, we are moved by the way people have stepped up for one another in times of need, especially as they face repeated climate disasters. That’s why we set up CORE’s Emergency Fund, which ensures our team can continue to support the rapidly changing needs of communities in crisis without interruption—and help them build resilience in the face of future disasters.