OAKLAND — In many ways, the effects of the area-wide May 13, 2025 flooding are still being felt by the community. The Western Maryland Long-Term Recovery Committee (WMLTRC) was created to help coordinate those continuing needs and connect families with volunteers, construction assistance, donations, and partner organizations. In addition, the committee is finding ways to share resources in other areas.
The initial flood affected those located throughout Western Maryland and Mineral County in West Virginia. It brought an immediate response from residents, businesses, churches, volunteers, and outside groups.
In the days and weeks following the flood, the community came together to provide necessities and support for affected residents. Among the assistance provided were flood recovery buckets from the Lions Club, space heaters from the Redmen in Westernport, heated blankets, and temporary bathhouses that remained available for residents for weeks after the flood.
Many individuals and organizations worked together during that immediate response to help families clean up, stabilize their homes, and meet basic needs.
As the immediate emergency ended, many families were still facing significant needs, such as heat for the winter, flooring, mold removal and hot water heaters.
The focus shifted from emergency supplies and cleanup to long-term home repairs, construction, and other unmet needs that families were unable to address through insurance or other assistance.
It was at this time that the Western Maryland Long-Term Recovery Committee was created to help coordinate those continuing needs and connect families with volunteers, construction assistance, donations, and partner organizations. This was done with the support of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD).
Established in September 2025, the committee’s mission is to coordinate funding and assistance from faith-based, secular, and government partners to support flood-affected households. Its primary focus is construction-related recovery, including debris removal, furnace replacement, and the repair of flood-damaged drywall and insulation, with the goal of restoring homes to safe, sanitary, and secure living conditions. WMLTRC is dedicated to long-term recovery and anticipates operating for approximately three years.
The committee’s process involves identifying owner-occupied households impacted by the flood and assigning each a caseworker to assess needs and coordinate referrals for supportive services, including faith-based, medical, and behavioral health resources. When construction needs are identified, a construction manager evaluates the damage, prepares cost estimates, and presents the project to an Unmet Needs Committee for funding determination. Once approved, materials are procured and volunteer labor coordinated, with licensed professionals engaged for specialized work such as HVAC or electrical repairs.
To date, preliminary assessments have identified approximately 460 households requiring assistance, including 163 with critical heating needs. While WMLTRC continues to build capacity, establish operations, and hire paid staff to support its volunteer workforce, ensuring access to heat remains the immediate priority. Donation campaigns are underway to secure the resources necessary to address unmet recovery needs.
Chuck Ternent of the committee explained one of the ways the group was able to pay it forward.
“It was not a large amount, but during the 2025 flooding in the George’s Creek area, we were blessed by the generosity of many organizations that donated items to help our communities,” he said. “After the Western Maryland Long-Term Flood Recovery Committee was established, we began evaluating the resources available to us. We learned that some donated flood-recovery supplies were scattered throughout the region, so we gathered them and stored them in a donated warehouse in the Westernport area.”
As the committee’s work progressed, the group evaluated and distributed the items as needed.
“Following reported flooding in West Virginia, we contacted our West Virginia partners to learn about their needs,” Tenent said. “Fortunately, we were able to pay it forward by sharing some of our excess supplies. Our committee volunteers coordinated the donations and transported them to the designated collection points.”
In addition, the Western Maryland Long-Term Flood Recovery Committee has offered technical assistance and insight into establishing a long-term recovery system
During the first week of July 2026, Catholic HEART also came to Western Maryland to assist with ongoing flood recovery.
The effort was organized locally by Mike Simpson, Construction Manager, and overseen by Catherine Mock, PR Chair.
Mock noted that the number of volunteers was countless during the emergency.
“After the flood was cleaned up, homes were left without help,” she said. “Trying to get help is a little difficult.”
She noted that there are around 20 small finishing jobs still in need of completion.
“While significant progress has been made, recovery is not over,” she said. “Families are still dealing with repairs and other unmet needs. We intend to contact everyone to make sure recovery is complete, and there are new cases every day. The long-term recovery effort continues to coordinate resources and volunteers to help them move forward.”
For more information, visit www.westernmdltr.org
