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The Year of the River designation took on a whole new meaning on Friday, June 13, 2008. The Cedar River at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, crested at a historic 31.2 feet and flooded more than 10 square miles or 14 percent of the city.
With more than 5,000 homes and 700 businesses damaged or destroyed by floodwaters, it's been nearly three years of tireless work by local residents and volunteers from around the country to rebuild the community. Neighborhoods are coming back to life, businesses are open again and the community is rebuilding. There is progress, hope and a sense of resiliency among us all – we will be a better community in spite of the disaster! Philanthropy plays an important role in Cedar Rapids’ flood recovery. Your community foundation – the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation – is tremendously grateful for the individuals, families and businesses that have donated to the flood funds at the GCRCF. To date, $5.7 million has been donated to the Flood 2008 Fund and future contributions help our community recover and rebuild.
As of July 1, 2011, the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation has awarded $5.7 million in grants from the Flood 2008 Fund to 81 local nonprofits who serve the greater good and are working to improve our community. Nonprofits have provided immediate food and shelter, supplies and equipment kits for flood clean up, child care for flood-affected households during clean up and rebuilding, free legal assistance, home furnishings and appliances, mental health and substance abuse services and much more.
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The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation published the Flood 2008 Fund Community Impact Report in October 2011 that details how the Foundation developed the Flood 2008 Fund, our grant process, progress and impacts and provides profiles on some of the grantees that assisted in the community relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Corridor Recovery (official flood recovery Web site)
http://www.corridorrecovery.org/ "Resilience: the Spirit of Humanity" – Flood Documentary
http://www.mvpvisualmedia.com/ "In Deep Water" – City of Cedar Rapids Flood Video
http://www.cedar-rapids.org/community/floodinfo2008.asp "Building the Road to Recovery" - Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce Flood Video - http://blip.tv/file/1293921/
Inside the PGA Tour, Zach Johnson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, flood tour video - http://www.pgatour.com/video/?/video/video/pga-tour/features/2008/10/27/feat_johnson_iowa_floods_08inside44.pgatour |
