Donating to the Carbon County Disaster Relief Fund helps support emergency response and disaster recovery efforts across Carbon County. Your gift provides direct, local support to address urgent needs and assist individuals, families, and organizations impacted by disaster.
Please call 406-446-2820 if you have questions about the disaster relief fund.
Responding to the 2022 Flood
When historic flooding struck Carbon County in June 2022, our communities responded with extraordinary generosity, resilience, and determination. At the County’s request, the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation stepped in to coordinate volunteers, raise and distribute relief funds, and build capacity for long-term recovery.
In the first month alone, volunteers in Red Lodge and Fromberg logged more than 9,300 hours—equivalent to over four years of full-time work—supporting emergency response efforts like sandbagging, debris cleanup, and delivering food and supplies. These efforts also helped offset the County’s FEMA match requirements for rebuilding critical infrastructure.
Community support was immediate and overwhelming. Within 45 days, more than $1 million was donated to the Carbon County Disaster Relief Fund. In total, the fund raised over $1.5 million to support local recovery.
Direct Relief and Recovery Support
Relief funds were distributed quickly to meet urgent needs and support long-term recovery:
- $275,260 in emergency grants to 91 households in the immediate aftermath
- $480,686 in recovery grants to 46 homeowners and long-term rental property owners
- $586,211 distributed in 2023 through additional grant rounds, including support for renters
- $1.44 million total distributed to households across Carbon County
Funding also supported immediate response needs such as dumpster rentals, water testing, temporary housing materials, propane for displaced residents, and essential supplies.
In partnership with local agricultural leaders, the One Valley Ag Relief Fund raised an additional $265,000 to support the agricultural community.
Long-Term Recovery: Disaster Recovery Navigation
Recognizing that recovery extends far beyond the initial response, the Foundation launched a Disaster Recovery Navigation Program to walk alongside survivors through the rebuilding process.
Recovery Navigators worked one-on-one with more than 70 individuals and families across the county to assess needs, develop recovery plans, and connect them to available resources. This included:
- Advocating with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to increase awards
- Connecting families to reconstruction funding and private grants
- Helping replace essential household items and secure stable housing
- Supporting winterization of temporary housing and access to propane
This personalized support helped many survivors move closer to a new normal after devastating loss.
Continuing the Work
Disaster recovery is a long-term process, and the lessons learned from the 2022 flood continue to shape our work today. While grantmaking and the Disaster Recovery Navigation Program concluded in 2023, the Foundation remains committed to strengthening our community’s readiness for future disasters.
Through ongoing coordination with local partners, we are building capacity to respond more effectively when emergencies arise—improving volunteer coordination systems, strengthening resource networks, and ensuring the Carbon County Disaster Relief Fund is positioned to provide timely support when it’s needed most.
Together, we are not only helping our communities recover, but also preparing for what comes next—so that when future challenges arise, Carbon County is ready.
