By: Nick Genty

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. - Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders received an update on tornado recovery efforts Tuesday afternoon and toured the American Red Cross serving Arkansas headquarters in Little Rock.

Sanders, along with several area legislators, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, and the Department of Human Services met with Red Cross leadership, to gather information on the current state of the recovery process six weeks after an EF3 tornado caused widespread damage across Pulaski, Lonoke, and Cross counties in Arkansas.

“While we are so incredibly proud and thankful of the work that organizations like the Red Cross have done and continue to do, we still have a long road ahead," Sanders said.

Red Cross volunteers work around the clock to provide relief and support to those affected by the tornado. Sanders was effusive in her praise of the staff and volunteers as she expressed her appreciation for their efforts.

“We couldn’t be more thankful to have such great leadership as we do with the Red Cross,” the Governor told reporters after her update and tour. “About half of the volunteers have come in from all over, and we got to meet with several of them today, to help serve the people of Arkansas and that is a tremendous thing that we are extremely thankful for. We want to continue to maintain a great partnership with the Red Cross as well as our other partners on the ground.”

The Red Cross is still sheltering over 340 households in hotels across the state and are working with those individuals to find the resources to move into more long-term housing.  

“We are so very appreciative of the Governor, legislators, and the state officials that took time to acknowledge our dedicated volunteers and staff that have spent countless hours working with those families affected by tornadoes, “ Lori Arnold-Ellis, executive director of the American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas, said.

Along with the Red Cross resources, the Governor pushed those that still need help to find more information at helparkansas.com.

The Red Cross also asks anyone that needs assistance to call 1-800-Red Cross or go to redcross.org.