The Midwest Food Bank in Morton and Bloomington-based insurance company State Farm are both involved in responding to the ongoing destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Representatives of the Midwest Food Bank say the nonprofit assistance organization is boosting its relief efforts to meet urgent needs.
“As of now, we're just waiting for the right spot to open up and to get the aid there,” said Brittany Parker, volunteer coordinator for Midwest Food Bank Morton.
While the Midwest Food Bank’s disaster relief operations are headquartered in Morton, they are working through a national network of warehouses and planning to use their Arizona division to coordinate delivery of supplies to impacted areas in California.
Parker says precisely what all the Midwest Food Bank will supply to the area is not yet fully determined.
“I think that’s all being figured out. I do think the disaster relief food boxes are for sure going,” said Parker. “There might be also a disaster relief clean-up bucket that we have that might go, too. We also have personal hygiene kits; all of that kind of makes our complete disaster relief package.”
Parker cautioned that the situation remains “fluid” as the need for assistance continues to evolve.
In a news release, the Midwest Food Bank says it is working closely with other nonprofit partners, stressing that collaboration is a necessity in large-scale relief efforts. They anticipate adjusting their response to address victims’ long-term recovery needs once rebuilding efforts get underway.
State Farm response
In an emailed response to a WGLT inquiry, State Farm says it has received more than 6,700 home and auto claims as of Tuesday, with an expectation that number will grow significantly. The company did not provide a dollar-figure estimate but said it’s “putting millions back into customers’ hands.”
State Farm says it insures 250,000 homes and 880,000 automobiles in Los Angeles County as the largest insurer group in California. The company described the state’s insurance market as “uniquely complex,” but did not provide a response when asked about its decision last March to drop more than 70,000 policies.
Additionally, State Farm says it has deployed its “Catastrophe Response Team” to help with recovery. That team includes a mobile workforce trained to handle major events such as the L.A. wildfires. Remote claim teams are available for virtual inspections and meetings with customers.
The company says anyone who’s experienced damage from the wildfires can file claims through their local agent, by calling 1-800-SF-CLAIM (1-800-732-5246), using the State Farm mobile app, or visiting statefarm.com.
Policy holders facing financial strain from the wildfires may be eligible for premium payment extensions.
