Sunday, April 18, 1999
How to help, get help
Benefits
• Mars Music plans a concert today to benefit tornado relief. Local bands Freebass, The Hollow and The Blue Birds will perform 2-6 p.m. in the Mars parking lot, 11805 Commons Drive in Springdale, next to Dave and Busters. Special guests include Bootsy Collins. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross.
Legal help
The Cincinnati Bar Association will provide limited, free legal help to families and businesses that were victims of the tornado.
The association's mediation program will provide free mediation services to homeowners, renters and business owners who have disputes with insurance companies. The service is an often quicker path toward resolution of lawsuits.
The bar association will provide some free legal resources, such as defining insurance policyholders' rights and the responsibilities of mortgage holders and landlords. The association will help victims find duplicate legal documents such as driver's licenses and birth certificates that may be been lost in the storm.
Tornado victims interested in a mediation request may call the bar association at 381-8213. The agency's lawyer referral service can be reached by calling 381-8359 or toll-free (888) 628-2577. Tell staff you are calling with a tornado-related legal issue.
Red Cross Service Center
The Cincinnati Area Red Cross service center is open to help people who sustained damage to or lost their homes in last week's tornado. Hours of operation for the center at Good Shepherd Catholic Church: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. Sunday.
People seeking assistance must bring identification with address of the affected residence. If unavailable, a copy of a recent bill with the address is acceptable.
Help available includes food, clothing, shelter and furnishings. Red Cross counselors and nurses also will be available.
Call 579-3000.
Money donations
• American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund: (800) HELP-NOW.
• Thriftway Marketplace stores will donate money collected in its Even-It-Up fund-raising program.
• Cincinnati police have set up a fund for Officer Kevin Brown and family: Kevin Brown Tornado Fund, c/o Cincinnati Police Federal Credit Union, 959 W. Eighth St., Suite 101, Cincinnati 45203.
• The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati in Blue Ash is taking contributions. Make checks payable to the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati/Tornado Relief, 4380 Malsbary Road, Suite 200, Cincinnati 45242.
Donations for victims' children
• A fund has been established for the 5-year-old son of Charles Smith. It is the Charles Cameron Smith Trust Fund; PNC Bank, Montgomery Square Office, 9909 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, OH 45242. Donations can be made at any PNC Bank.
• The University of Dayton has created a scholarship fund in honor of Jacque and Lee Cook. Initially, it will help cover college expenses for the Cooks' son, Ryan. Administrators hope to make it grow into an endowment that will help other students after Ryan graduates. To donate, send to the Jacque and Lee Cook Memorial Scholarship Fund, the University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, Ohio, 45469-1621.
Other donations
• Franklin Savings & Loan branches are serving as drop locations for donations of clothing, toiletries and nonperishable food. Information: 469-8000.
• Bigg's stores are accepting nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies, such as mops and brooms, and clothing in the parking lots of its seven stores.
Bigg's also will issue a $25 gift certificate to the Red Cross for every $20 donation. Information: 241-3900 or 248-9300.
• Kenwood Baptist Church, 8341 Kenwood Road, is taking food donations and checks, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 791-0355.
• Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood, drop-off center for nonperishable items, cleaning supplies.
• Cleaning supplies and such nonperishable items as soft drinks may be dropped off at the Coldwell Banker West Shell Cross-County office, 9122 Montgomery Road. Items will be distributed by the Salvation Army. Call 984-1300.
• Mason Fire Department's Company No. 51, 135 N. Mason-Montgomery Road: furniture, clothing and nonperishable food items, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Bob Sumerel Tire Co: nonperishable food items and clothing at its Tristate locations.
Lost/found
Sycamore Presbyterian Church is serving as a “lost and found” for tornado victims. Anyone finding items that might have been scat tered by the storm can bring them to the church, 11800 Mason Road, Symmes Township.
The church also is a pick-up relief center and is in need of feminine personal-care items; towels and toilet paper; and school supplies, including backpacks and lunch boxes. Clothing is not needed. Call 683-0254.
Housing
The Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors will develop a temporary rental registry to help people displaced by the storm in Montgomery, Blue Ash and other areas of Southwest Ohio. People or firms with short-term rentals available in those areas are encouraged to call the board at 761-8800. The registry is free.
Tax breaks
State and federal officials have extended the deadline for those affected by Friday's tornado.
The Ohio Department of Taxation has extended its filing deadline to Aug. 16.
The Internal Revenue Service has set up a telephone number to help area residents affected by the tornado. Those who lost refund checks, are expecting a refund or need more time to file should call 241-2929 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Ohio Department of Taxation has a toll-free number for tax questions: (800) 282-4310.
• Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes says property owners who suffered tornado destruction or damage can apply for a valuation deduction.
Forms are available in the auditor's office and emergency relief centers. Representatives from the office will work in affected areas to help home and business owners.
Under state law, owners can receive up to a 75 percent deduction for the amount of their loss if they apply by the end of the year. Valuation changes will be effective with the first tax bills next year.
Information: 946-4000.
Free shots
The Hamilton County Health District is offering free tetanus boosters to people involved in the cleanup. Locations change daily. Call 326-4540 for details.
Corporate help
• Firstar Bank has set up an emergency assistance program to provide special home-equity, personal, business, mortgage and construction loans to tornado victims.
All loans carry a 90-day deferment in payment. Call (800) 274-4111 through June 1.
• Provident Bank has set up an emergency loan program for tornado victims through May. Call: (800) 335-2220.
• Ten Northern Kentucky hotels are offering free rooms to tornado victims: Drawbridge Estate, Fort Mitchell; Quality Hotel Riverview, Holiday Inn Riverfront and Hampton Inn Riverfront in Covington; Fairfield Inn, Wildwood Inn and Knights Inn in Florence; and AmeriSuites, the Hilton and the Holiday Inn at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Psychological counseling
Victims needing counseling can contact the following organizations for assistance:
• Red Cross, 579-3900.
• United Way Helpline Information and Referral Center, serving Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties, 721-7900.
• 281-CARE is Talbert House's Crisis Care Center serving Hamilton County, 281-2273.
• Hamilton County Family and Children First Council, 946-5465.
• Fernside Center for Grieving Children, for those who lost a loved one, 841-1012.
