You know the saying, “timing is everything.” Today is our first board meeting of 2025 and included in the packet we sent out last week were updated protocols and procedures for our new Disaster Response Fund. Our plans were to review these with our board and staff today so that if and when some kind of disaster hit our little part of Michigan, we would be prepared.

Well, just 48 hours ago, in the middle of the night on a cold, dark evening, a disaster did hit the small community of East China Township in rural St. Clair County.

I was up in Houghton having breakfast when my phone started to go off. At first I delayed responding. However, when I saw Justin Westmiller calling, the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for St. Clair County, I knew something was wrong.

Thanks to the bravery of the first responding police and fire departments, no lives were lost, although one person remains hospitalized with injuries and dozens of residents lost most or all of their personal possessions.

Now, let’s rewind to 2023 when fires devastated Maui. That was the final impetus we needed for our community foundation to get serious about putting our own Disaster Response Fund in place. Shortly thereafter, at the CMF Annual Conference in Detroit, I recall having a sidebar with some of our staff and board along with Sharon Mortensen from the Midland Area Community Foundation and Dana Bensinger from the Otsego Community Foundation. They shared valuable lessons learned and insights following the disasters their community faced.

In early 2024 we secured our first $50,000 gift to launch our Disaster Response Fund. Then, literally just a few weeks ago, we received another incredibly generous gift from a donor advised fund which pushed our total up to our initial goal of $100,000.

Now, back to this past Sunday – just about 48 hours ago. The response on a Sunday morning from the Township, first responders, other nearby communities, East China Schools, a local church and local nonprofits, and a local grocery story was heartwarming. It’s the beauty of small-town America.

By noon on Sunday we had activated the protocols and procedures for our Disaster Response and five of our staff were assigned to the response team. Two of our staff were actively in the community arranging hotel rooms and other basic needs. Our protocols include the authority of staff to use their company credit cards for any and all immediate needs – no questions asked. 

By early afternoon our website had switched over to the SCC Strong page which we created last year for just this occasion. Online gifts began coming in immediately and we reassured the first responding agencies that we would cover all immediate costs for the first 48 hours. 

A crisis or disaster, no matter how small compared to some, such as the fires in California, will bring chaos and confusion to your community and your community foundation. It’s not a matter of if, just a matter of when. Although this crisis is still unfolding, and there is still a long path to recovery for the residents who are now temporarily homeless, our Disaster Response Plan and Protocols prepared our team for the “if and when” time came – and that time came on a cold Sunday morning. I am so proud of our community, our community foundation, and all of our partners for having a plan in place. I encourage all community foundations around the country to do the same – now, today.

To learn more about our Disaster Response Plan visit SCCStrong.Org