One week after many homes were flooded, people turn to GoFundMe and other resources for help

Published at 7:00 pm, May 30, 2023 | Updated at 7:31 pm, May 30, 2023

Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

flooding at Lowe house2 — Kristen Lowe’s basement the night of the storm. | Courtesy Kristen Lowe

IDAHO FALLS — It’s been one week since flood waters came rushing into homes in Idaho Falls, destroying many basements and leaving people wondering where to turn for help.

Friends and relatives of those affected have turned to GoFundMe to help their financial situation since homeowners insurance typically does not cover flooding. You can purchase a separate flood insurance policy, which can be covered by the National Flood Insurance Program. Click here to learn more information.

Businesses and homes were flooded on May 23 following the three hour storm, which brought 1.27 inches of rain and hail to Idaho Falls and the surrounding area. Flash flooding happened across the region.

Remembering the flooding on May 23

Ashley Traughber lives in Idaho Falls with her husband and has a newborn baby. She was standing in her kitchen Tuesday evening and heard her dishwasher suddenly turn on.

“I said, ‘What the? I did not turn that on.’ I turned around and there was just water pouring out of it. I went around the corner and then there was water pouring out of my bathroom into my living room,” she said.

Her husband was not home at the time. Her top priority was to get her baby to safety. Traughber said she was on her bed with her baby just trying to keep him dry. She called her mom for help as water poured into the bedroom and items floated all around.

“My whole entire house just got covered in about four to five inches of water. My cellar got completely filled. We couldn’t even enter it because it was filled to the absolute top of the cellar,” she said. “Our water heater is sideways in our cellar right now.”

The floors throughout the house are a loss. Food is gone too. Damage continues to be assessed. She has homeowners insurance but it won’t help in her situation.

So her mother set up a GoFundMe for her family to raise at least $10,000.

“I think for me personally, it’s hard to ask for help from people but I think it’s a great thing and that people are able to do that and come together and help one another,” she said.

Others like Melysa Miller, who lives off of North Boulevard with her family, is dealing with a similar situation. A lot of homes are damaged in her neighborhood including hers. She said everyone on her street is hurting right now.

flooding at Melysa house — Courtesy Melysa Miller

“My entire basement is gone. We have people ripping it down to the studs,” she said. “We lost our washer, our dryer, our furnace, our water heater, our chest freezer. We lost so much.”

The basement is where her husband worked for his job. It’s also where her children learned as they are homeschooled.

“We can’t pick up and go move. We have a home loan,” Miller said.

Flooding in basement Melysa — Flooding at Melysa Miller’s house. | Courtesy Melysa Miller

A friend has set up a GoFundMe for her family to raise $40,000 and Miller is filled with gratitude.

“Really grateful that they would take the time and the effort to help my family with this unpredictable time of need. The flooding happened so quickly and it was absolutely devastating to my home,” she said.

Not too far away, Kristen Lowe recalls the flooding at her home.

“We saw water creeping up our backyard and thinking, ‘This is weird. This has never happened before’ and it creeped up really quickly,” she said.

There was water gushing in through the laundry room windows and a bedroom window in the basement.

“We called some friends who had some pumps. It just came in too fast. So by the time it was up to our shins, we just started taking everything out of our basement that we could carry,” Lowe explained.

It’s likely that new appliances will have to be bought. Furniture and games have been lost.

Just like many others, everything has to be replaced out of pocket.

However, Lowe, most importantly, wants people to know that she is grateful for those who came to help and keep coming to help her family.

The basement downstairs — What Kristen’s basement looks like now. | Courtesy Kristen Lowe

Resources for help

So where can people turn for help?

Traughber told EastIdahoNews.com she asked for help from the American Red Cross.

“They came out and did kind of an assessment and helped us with some cleaning supplies,” she said.

Regional spokesman Matt Ochsner said Red Cross volunteers have been working with local officials to help assess the damage following the flooding. He told EastIdahoNews.com in an email that the Red Cross is currently providing financial assistance to those families whose homes have been severely damaged or destroyed and helping meet their most immediate needs.

People impacted by the flooding and in need of Red Cross services are encouraged to call 800-RED-CROSS (800)-733-2767. All Red Cross services are free, Ochsner said.

In addition, the City of Idaho Falls launched a webpage last week to answer frequently asked questions following the severe storm and flash flooding. Click here for more detailed information and to view the webpage.

Those experiencing flooding are encouraged to contact their landlord or insurance company for assistance, a news release from the city said. People can contact a restoration company too. If a restoration company is unable to provide help, begin cleaning up as quickly as possible.

EastIdahoNews.com asked the city about the possibility of filing claims for help.

“We understand flooding can be overwhelming for many. We have spoken with emergency management officials and it looks like last week’s flooding event does not meet the thresholds for a disaster declaration that would make such funds available,” said Eric Grossarth, a spokesman with the city of Idaho Falls.

If people wish, he said they can fill out claims with the City Clerk by clicking here.

However, Grossarth explained that filling out a claim is not an admission of fault from the city or a guarantee of payment. The city will be reviewing each claim on a case-by-case basis.

flooding at Lowe house — Courtesy Kristen Lowe

Ways to help

It’s not unusual for people to turn to GoFundMe for help. Jeff Platt, a spokesman with GoFundMe told EastIdahoNews.com that they frequently see people impacted by natural disasters asking for help on GoFundMe. In fact, there is a specific page on GoFundMe dedicated to donate to people for flood relief.

Platt said there are 10 verified fundraisers for the Idaho Falls flooding.

Each GoFundMe has asked for different amounts of donations. Below are the verified pages. One is not listed due to the fundraiser ending.

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