A History Rooted in Community Strength
On May 20, 2022—just hours after the tornado struck—the executive committee of the Otsego Community Foundation (OCF) established the Tornado Response Fund. Its purpose was clear: create a central hub where donors could give with confidence, and ensure nonprofit partners had the resources needed to provide immediate relief, short-term recovery, and long-term rebuilding. Over the next two years, the fund fueled recovery efforts across the county, awarding $1.5 million in grants that helped families and neighborhoods rebuild their lives. When tornado response 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, OCF Executive Director
On September 19, 2024, OCF approved a resolution establishing the Disaster Response Fund, transferring the remaining $112,000 from the original tornado fund, and closing the initial account. While the Tornado Response Fund focused on a single event, the Disaster Response Fund was created to address the full spectrum of emergencies our community may face in the future.
“We started brainstorming goals for the fund, thinking it would be nice to grow it to $1,000,000 over the next decade… Never in a million years did we think the fund would be active again in 6 months.”
Managing the Disaster Response Fund has required OCF to take on roles well beyond receiving donations and awarding grants. The team has spent countless hours researching needs, coordinating with partners, and helping shape communitywide solutions.
Tornado Response: Impact at a Glance
Thanks to generous donors and strong partnerships, tornado-related grants helped:
- Provide 1,658 nights of emergency shelter
- Rebuild 27 homes
- Construct one new home
- Repair four damaged vehicles
- Replace five destroyed vehicles
Ice Storm Response: Meeting Urgent Needs, Supporting Long-Term Recovery
Immediate Relief
Within 14 days of the ice storm, the Disaster Response Fund awarded $83,500 in grants to meet critical, immediate needs. Funding supported access to food, safe shelter, heat, and essential services through:
- Otsego County United Way
- Otsego County Food Pantry
- E-Free Church
- The Salvation Army
- The Refuge
- Johannesburg-Lewiston Schools
- Vanderbilt School
- Gaylord Community Schools
- Giving Tree Food Pantry
- Vanderbilt Food Pantry
These partnerships ensured hundreds of families received help during one of the coldest, most challenging moments of the year.
Short-Term Recovery
As urgent needs stabilized, OCF shifted focus to recovery. Working closely with nonprofit partners, local schools, and community leaders, the foundation supported efforts to help families regain stability and begin making long-term plans.
A collaboration between the Otsego County Economic Alliance and the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce provided critical support to small businesses impacted by the storm. A $50,000 grant from the Disaster Response Fund enabled 70 small business mini-grants, helping local employers recover and reopen their doors. In June of 2025, OCF opened applications for Disaster Recovery Grants designed to strengthen the capacity of public-serving organizations. To date, more than $80,000 has been awarded to 20 local organizations, helping them restore operations and continue serving the community.
Looking Ahead: Recovery, Preparation, and Mitigation
Even after power was restored, the ice storm’s long-lasting effects on forests, waterways, and natural habitats became increasingly evident. 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.
Call to Action: Honor the Anniversary with Action
Anniversaries encourage reflection—but they also call us to prepare.
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 resilience 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.
Click here to give to the Disaster Response Fund.
Together, we can honor what we’ve overcome, support those still recovering, and strengthen our ability to face whatever comes next.
Your generosity makes this work possible and we are so thankful for each and every donation from Mexico to Canada and California to New York. It’s an honor to play a part in implementing local solutions. The OCF understands that the effects of disasters are far-reaching; that the recovery process is a marathon, not a sprint. Our team is working diligently alongside many other community partners to find solutions for the many challenges. Your continued patience with the complex process and support are encouraging.
