Tornado Relief and Recovery Assistance

On Friday, April 17, 2026, multiple tornadoes ripped through Olmsted County, damaging or destroying multiple homes along their paths. Marion Road Christian Church, its elders and members, answered the call and established a resource and donations center at their church. Along with guidance from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota, and other voluntary organizations, a Tornado Relief and Recovery Team was established.

Beginning today, the Tornado Relief and Recovery Team will be reaching out to those who are verified to have been affected by these tornadoes in Olmsted County. They will not be asking for any private financial information such as bank account numbers or Social Security numbers. They will simply be informing those affected about the application process for potential relief and recovery options. Again, the application does not ask for any financially sensitive information. If any tornado victim has questions about the application process, please email marion.tornado.donations@gmail.com. The Tornado Relief and Recovery Team will only accept applications from those affected within the tornado paths as confirmed by the National Weather Service. Please note that completing the application process does not guarantee funding.

This press release is being issued to inform the public that this effort is not a scam. The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Office of Emergency Management take scam prevention seriously. Should any Olmsted County residents be contacted by people requesting personal financial or other sensitive information claiming it is necessary to receive tornado relief, please do not provide any of this information and disconnect the call.

Neither Olmsted County, nor any of its employees, is acting in any official government capacity with the Tornado Relief and Recovery Team. This announcement is being made to mitigate any scam attempts.