Gifts to the Disaster Response Fund.
As we mark one year since the ice storm and four years since the tornado, we are reminded that disasters rarely come with warning. The best time to strengthen our community's ability to respond is before the next crisis emerges. We invite you to make a gift to the Disaster Response Fund.
Give online here: https://godonate.akoyago.com/OCF/fund/disaster-response-fund
Checks can be mailed to:
PO Box 344
Gaylord, MI 49734
Disaster Response Fund
IMPACT STORY
When disaster strikes, communities reveal their true strength. In Otsego County, that strength has always been rooted in generosity, partnership, and a shared commitment to care for our neighbors in moments of greatest need.
On May 20, 2022—just hours after a devastating tornado touched down—the executive committee of the Otsego Community Foundation (OCF) established the Tornado Response Fund. The goal was both immediate and clear: to create a trusted, centralized place where donors could give with confidence and ensure nonprofit partners had the resources needed to respond quickly, effectively, and compassionately.
Because of you, that vision became a reality. Over the following two years, more than $1.5 million in grants supported immediate relief, short-term recovery, and long-term rebuilding across our community. As tornado recovery efforts came to a close, the OCF Board began looking ahead.
“Having experienced a natural disaster, we knew we needed a plan moving forward.” ~Dana Bensinger, Executive Director, Otsego Community Foundation
On September 19, 2024, OCF formally established the Disaster Response Fund—transferring the remaining $112,000 from the Tornado Response Fund and closing that chapter. While the original fund was created in response to a single event, the Disaster Response Fund was designed to address the full spectrum of emergencies our community may face in the future.
“We began setting goals for the fund, imagining it might grow to $1 million over the next decade… never expecting it would be called into action again so soon.”
In early 2025, an historic ice storm put that readiness to the test.
Within just 14 days of the storm, the Disaster Response Fund awarded $83,500 in grants to meet urgent, life-sustaining needs—providing access to food, safe shelter, heat, and essential services. Through our nonprofit partners, hundreds of families received critical support during one of the most challenging times of the year. As immediate needs were met, OCF shifted its focus toward long-term recovery—working alongside nonprofit partners, schools, and community leaders to help families regain stability and plan for the future.
To address the storm’s economic impact, a partnership between the Otsego County Economic Alliance and the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce was supported by a $50,000 grant from the Disaster Response Fund. This investment provided 70 small business mini-grants, helping local employers recover and reopen.
In June 2025, OCF opened applications for Disaster Recovery Grants to strengthen public-serving organizations. To date, more than $80,000 has been awarded to 20 local organizations, helping them restore operations and continue serving our community.
Looking Ahead: Recovery, Preparedness, and Resilience
Even after power was restored, the ice storm’s lasting effects—particularly on forests, waterways, and natural habitats—became increasingly clear. Recognizing the importance of both environmental recovery and future risk mitigation, OCF convened conservation partners to assess impacts and develop
strategies that will strengthen community resilience for years to come.
Anniversaries invite reflection—but they also call us to act.
As we mark one year since the ice storm and four years since the tornado, we are reminded that disasters rarely come with warning. The best time to strengthen our community's ability to respond is before the next crisis emerges. We invite you to make a gift to the Disaster Response Fund.
Your support ensures that when the next emergency strikes—whether a storm, fire, or unforeseen event—Otsego County can respond swiftly, compassionately, and effectively. Together, we can honor how far we’ve come, support those still recovering, and ensure we are ready for whatever lies ahead.
To give online, visit:
https://godonate.akoyago.com/OCF/fund/disaster-responsefund
Together, we can honor how far we’ve come, support those still recovering, and ensure we are ready for whatever lies ahead.
Conservation Partners Gather
Recognizing the importance of environmental recovery, OCF convened conservation and environmental partners to assess impacts, explore potential risks, and plan mitigation strategies to strengthen community resilience.
