Although the immediate danger from the devastating storms on March 2 is over for many, as families assess physical damage and begin recovery from the recent tornado, it can still be a frightening and traumatic time.
Even if a Girl Scout wasn’t directly impacted by the storms, many have seen difficult situations and conversations as they’ve gone out in the community to volunteer with the tornado relief. We’re proud of the girls for stepping up and making a difference by helping with the relief efforts, and our council is here to support our troops.
For anyone who may need this, we wanted to share a few links to expert resources for your troops in the wake of last week’s storms.
Resources on coping with trauma after a natural disaster or tornado:
- This Girl Scout USA article about how to talk to your kids about natural disasters is a great tool for troops who are volunteering in affected areas.
- This Red Cross Mental Health fact sheet can help adults understand common reactions to a crisis and when to seek help.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) offers a set of resources specific to tornado relief for parents and caregivers, which could also be helpful for volunteers:
- Guidelines for helping children
- The children’s book Trinka and Sam and the Swirling Twirling Wind offers caregivers a way to talk with children about tornadoes (also available in Spanish).
The Disaster Distress Helpline is a national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling (more info at National Institute of Mental Health):
- Dial 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
- This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories, open 24/7, 365 days.
For inquiries about grief resources:
- The National Alliance for Grieving Children has informational videos and an FAQ section for parents/caregivers about helping children cope with loss—and understanding what grief can look like in children.
- Their “Hero Toolkit” has activities and conversation starters for discussing grief with younger children and teens.
- There are also links to local listings of support groups and professionals (many of which are free or low cost).
- The National School Crisis Center has applicable resources (e.g., talking to children about grief) which are geared toward parents, but also make sense for any adult in a caring situation.