Jennifer Garner visits eastern Kentucky flood survivors

PERRY COUNTY, Ky. (Gray News) – Actress Jennifer Garner recently made a trip to eastern Kentucky as part of her role with the Save the Children organization.

Garner met with children, families and school leaders whose lives have been turned upside down by the devastating flooding over the past few weeks.

“Hundreds of children and families have lost everything they have. I spoke with families who are unsure of where they’re going to live, and children who don’t know when they’ll be getting back to school. I visited an elementary school that was 8 feet under water for three days,” Garner said.

Save the Children staff delivered critical emergency supplies, including food and water, to families in the areas hit hardest by the flooding.

“We are working to rebuild education and feeding programs, and helping teachers start their classrooms all over again,” Garner explained. “We’re getting cash in the hands of families, so they can decide what they need in order to start over.”

The global humanitarian organization is also providing art activity kits, games and toys to kids in area shelters, so they can have a moment to be kids again during this difficult time.

It is also identifying kids’ short- and long-term needs as this emergency persists.

“We are gearing up with supplies to support back-to-school efforts at school districts that have seen schools inundated with floodwaters, or completely destroyed,” said Greta Wetzel, head of Save the Children’s emergency response team in eastern Kentucky.

Wetzel said the organization is committed to working with schools and communities to make sure kids get the social and emotional support they need in the aftermath of the flooding.

Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.