UNION CITY, Mich. — The community of Union City has mounted a sweeping response in the days following a storm that caused deaths and widespread destruction, with local businesses, volunteers and a school district crisis team working together to support hundreds of residents.
A critical incident stress management team at Union City Community Schools has been at the center of the relief effort. The team has provided showers, meals and emotional support to residents, and has delivered food to first responders, utility line workers and families unable to travel to the site.
Stacy Guertler, a co-coordinator of the critical incident stress management team, said the response has reached far more people than expected.
"It's been hundreds of people we have impacted whether it be, 'hey, I just need to come here for a little while.' We've provided showers. We've provided food - we've had a great resource for food. We've been able to provide lunch and dinner every single day and we'll continue throughout the week," Guertler said.
The effort has been so well-organized that the American Red Cross told the team it appeared they had that part of the response handled.
A food and supply center is operating out of the high school field house on St. Joseph Street, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Organizers say they are not currently in need of additional supplies, but expect the recovery process to stretch on for weeks or even months and will need volunteers and donations beyond the first week. They suggest following their social media page for further needs.
At the end of one of the hardest-hit streets in Union City, Heavenly Smoke Barbecue has set up a second food and supply station. Owner Josh Alldering said he has already served a couple hundred people and plans to return Tuesday and into the foreseeable future.
For Alldering, the effort is personal. He is a first responder who was on the scene when the storm struck.
"It was scary, gut wrenching just seeing everyone on the ground or the buildings just totally destroyed. I knew something needed to be done so I got with my church - Emmanuel Global Methodist Church - and I said, 'hey, I'm gonna set up and we're gonna do this for the people,'" Alldering said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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