Sunday, April 27, 2014 all of us in Arkansas were glued to weather radios, TV and the internet tracking heavy storms with potential for tornadoes. Unfortunately the potential became reality. A single twister cut a nearly mile wide swath across central Arkansas. The tornado appears to have started in Pulaski county, just west of Little Rock and ripped through homes and businesses from Little Rock, Maumelle, Mayflower, Vilonia, Saltillo, El Paso and a number of other towns and rural communities.

We at Arkansas' FlagandBanner.com have experienced years of these sort of storms but this one was beyond anything we had ever witnessed. Just one single tornado causing this much damage and being on the ground as long as it was. It was devastating to watch. Many of our friends and neighbors lost homes, businesses and loved ones to this deadly storm.

In an effort to help we have compiled a list of places to donate.

Conway High School is collecting baby wipes, hand sanitizer, men's and women's new underwear, and socks for disaster relief. We will only accept these items. Our plan is to make a delivery to Mayflower High School on Wednesday (April 30)  and a delivery to Vilonia on Thursday (May 1). The Conway band truck will be set up in front of the Career Center after 2:00 today. We will only accept these items at this time. We will talk to administrators after this delivery and see what we can do next. Please pass the word or send items with Conway students

The Salvation Army

Give online at https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/uss/arkansastornados or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

You can also text the word "STORM" to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word "Yes."*

Donations in the form of checks designated to ArkansasTornado Relief may also be mailed to:
The Salvation Army
PO Box 738
North Little Rock, AR 72115-0738

New donation site: Don Roberts Elementary School
Click here for their flier with details. They will be collecting items during morning carpool lines until May 14. Students wish to "Help the Eagles soar again!" Both Vilonia and Mayflower sports teams are the Eagles.

The following churches/businesses are accepting donations and recruiting volunteers to help victims:

Apostolic Church in North Little Rock:

Accepting donations beginning at 9 a.m. 4/28/14
Donations of tarps, flashlights, batteries, hand sanitizer, non-perishable food items, gloves, toiletries, chainsaws, blankets, bottled water, etc.
Location: 4315 Landers Rd. in North Little Rock

Benton Transmission Automotive & Tire:
992 Hwy 5 North in Benton

Better Business Bureau in Little Rock:
Accepting donations of non-perishable foods, water, tooth brushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, deodorant, etc.
Location: 12521 Kanis Road 501-664-7274

Boys and Girls Club of Bryant:
Collecting donations of non-perishables, water, clothing.
Drop off between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Located at: 6401 Boone Road in Bryant.

Central Church of Christ in Little Rock:
Accepting tarps, bottled water, work gloves, flashlights, hand sanitizer, other basics.
Toiletries, diapers accepted as well.
Beginning at noon 4/28
Location: 823 W. 6th Street Little Rock (501) 374-2039

Christ United Methodist Church in Cabot:
 Accepting donations and other items
Location: 15361 Highway 5
Call (501) 843-2302 for a full list of items they are collecting

Courtyard Little Rock North in NLR:
They are accepting any and all donations at their location.
 Location: 4339 Warden Road

Gracepoint Church in Conway:
They have a trailer to collect water, snacks, gloves, blankets, etc.
Location: 1070 Markham Street

Haskell City Hall in Haskell:
Celebration Baptist Church is collecting supplies for tornado victims and workers.
Flashlights, batteries, gloves, non-perishable foods, baby items, paper goods, and water.
Dropped off at Haskell City Hall at 2520 Arkansas Hwy. 229

Holiday Inn Express in Maumelle:
Accepting non-perishable items for storm victims
Location: 200 Holiday Drive in Maumelle (at the Morgan/Maumelle Exit)

Holiday Inn & Suites in Morrilton:
Accepting non-perishable items, baby wipes, paper towels, etc. No clothing.
Location: 8 Bruce Street (501) 215-5925
Manager Cindy Roberson

Kroger/JCPenney parking lot in Batesville:
They are accepting monetary donations to buy items inside Kroger.
They are collecting items like bottled water, canned food, blankets, formula, diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.

Marco's Pizza central Arkansas locations
Accepting donations

•     Marco's Pizza in Conway 2501 Dave Ward Dr Conway, Arkansas 72034
•     Marco's Pizza of Cabot 2080 W Main St Cabot, Arkansas 72023
•     Marco's Pizza of Little Rock 11601 N Rodney Parham Rd Little Rock, Arkansas 72212
•     Marco's of North Little Rock 5007 JFK Blvd North Little Rock, Arkansas 72116
•     Marco's Pizza of Sherwood/Gravel Ridge 14718 Highway 107 Sherwood, Arkansas 72120

Mayflower Middle/High Schools in Mayflower:
The shelter at Mayflower Schools is in need of blankets, cots, pillows and snacks. John Pipkins or Doug Jones will accept donations there.

Newport Junior High School:
Accepting donations of canned goods, non-perishable food items, and bottled water for the victims in Mayflower and Vilonia.
Weekly trips will be delivered to areas in need. Donations will be accepted at the junior high office during schools hours, 7:45-3:30.
Location: 406 Wilkerson Dr, Newport, AR

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

2.     in from Bishop Benfield:

 
We are already hearing that the best way to help immediately is likely to be financial support so that relief workers can buy in bulk any relief kits that are needed. Therefore, if you wish to donate to help with relief work, you can donate online to the Bishop Discretionary Fund or send money to the “Bishop’s Discretionary Fund, Diocese of Arkansas, P.O. Box 164558, Little Rock, AR 72216” and mark the donation for “tornado relief.” My office will then distribute it to the local churches and shelters as Ginger Bailey and her team inform us of the needs of each location.

This took place Monday night but I'm sure the church will welcome any and all donations in the following weeks:

1.     Tonight:  St. Luke’s, North Little Rock and St. Stephen’s, Jacksonville are teaming up tonight, Monday, at 7:00 p.m. to assemble, package and prepare assistance for delivery. Mr. Toby Rowe, who works for Homeland Security and is a member of St. Stephen’s, Jacksonville, will gather the boxes and take them to Vilonia for distribution.  A list of suggested items is included below. These items can be delivered to St. Luke’s, 4106 John F. Kennedy Blvd., beginning at 1:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Suggested Donation Items for Delivery to St. Luke’s, North Little Rock
Large plastic tubs with lids

Food Items
Non-perishable
Manual Can-openers
Plastic Food Containers
Zip-lock Baggies
Small containers of Juice and Milk
Easy to prepare meals
Canned Meats, etc.
Baby Supplies
Diapers/wipes
Personal Care
Formula
Toys
Personal Care
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Comb/Brush
Deodorant/Shampoo/Soap
Pet Food & Supplies
Dry or Canned Food
Cat Litter
Collars/Leashes
Pet Carriers
Other
Bottled Water
Gatorade
Household Items
Cleaning Supplies – Pinesol, Lysol, Trash Bags, Buckets,
Mops/Brooms/Dust Pans
Paper Products
Laundry Detergent
Clorox
Killz
Moth Balls
Hand Cleaner
Dawn Dish Liquid
Disinfectant Wipes
Rubber Gloves
Shelter Supplies
Tarps
Rakes/ Shovels/Brooms
Plastic Totes W/Lids
5 Gal Buckets W/Lids
Trash Cans
Flashlights/Batteries
Emergency Candles
Duct Tape
Carpenter's Aprons
Hand Tools - Hammer/ Pliers/ Screwdrivers/Saws
Clotheslines/Pins
Rain Ponchos
Sunscreen
Work Gloves
Blankets
Generators
Grills
Matches - Lighters
Charcoal Briquettes
First Aid Kits
If you have questions, contact:
Caroline Brown
Parish Administrator
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
4106 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
North Little Rock, AR 72116
501.753.4281

St. Andrew UMC in Little Rock:
 Accepting donations
Working with UMCOR The United Methodist Disaster Relief
Location: 4600 Baseline Road (501) 562-1891

Sylvan Hills Sherwood Optimist Club:
 Accepting donations for Mayflower and Vilonia
Call 501-835-5583 for details

White Treasure Chest Flea Market in Cabot:
Accepting donations (clothes, food, etc) for victims
Drop off at location 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Mon-Sat) 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Sun)
Location: 3632 Highway 367 South in Cabot

American Red Cross Operated Shelters
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
1115 College Avenue, Conway, AR

Beryl Baptist Church
873 Main Street, Vilonia, AR

Antioch Baptist Church
150 Amity Road, Conway, AR
Antioch is asking for rakes, buckets, tubs, personal hygiene, diapers and wipes.

Oak Bowery Baptist Church
889 Otto Road, Conway, AR

Point of Grace
1070 Markham St, Conway

Mayflower Middle School
10 Leslie King Dr., Mayflower AR

To help with the free disaster relief provided by the Red Cross, please call 1-800-REDCROSS; make an online donation at redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999.

End of Red Cross List

Grace Point Church (next to Larry's Pizza)
Location: 1070 Markham, Conway
(501) 470-9811

Crossroads Cowboy Church In El Paso, AR
contact Monty Holmes (501) 951-5113

Bad Boy Mowers on Main Street in Batesville, in front of Kroger
Alyssa Lancaster at (870)805-0798

Items Needed:

• Bottled Water
• Canned Food
• Blankets...
• Clothes
• Formula
• Diapers
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• ETC.
• Also, taking monetary donations and we will go buy items to send.

Chenal Ten Storage
24300 Chenal Parkway
(501)868-1188 Tammy Johnston

Lisa Academy in Little Rock
(501)227-4942

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
13901 Quail Run Dr., Little Rock.
(501) 993-1764

Donation times will be Tuesday, April 29th through Friday May, 2nd at noon to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Arkansas Rice Depot

We are collecting funds and food (see list below) you can drop off donations at these locations:

Arkansas Rice Depot
3801 W 65th Street, Little Rock, AR 72209
(501) 565-8855

Midtowne Church
4037 Boone Rd, Benton, AR 72015
(501) 315-0992

Second Baptist Church
1117 N James Street, Jacksonville, AR 72076
(501) 920-1804

Malvern First United Methodist Church
127 E Page Avenue, Malvern, AR 72104
(501) 332-5289

Wellness Revolution
13401 Chenal Parkway Little Rock, AR 72211
(501) 821-6934

Second Baptist Church
709 Oak Street Clarksville, AR 72830
(479) 774-8219

Parkway Place Baptist Church
300 Parkway Place Drive, Little Rock, AR 72211
(501) 224-3003

If we hear of more we will post them to this page.