Menasha Begins the Work of Recovery Together

When an EF-3 tornado tore through Menasha this week, it left behind more than damaged homes and downed trees. It disrupted daily life for an entire community. Families found themselves without power and clean water. Neighborhoods were blocked by fallen trees and debris. Recovery began almost immediately as first responders, utility crews, municipal staff, volunteers, businesses, nonprofits, and neighbors each took up the work before them.

St. Thomas offering goods post storm

Just beyond some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church found itself asking a simple question: "How can we help?" The parish building was spared significant damage, even as many parishioners and neighbors experienced loss. Rather than becoming the story, the congregation became one more place where the community could gather, receive support, and continue caring for one another.

One of the first responses was simply to feed people. Volunteers fired up the grills and served hundreds of hot lunches, offering hamburgers, hot dogs, and bratwursts donated through Operation BBQ Relief. Neighbors stopped in for a meal before returning to clear debris. First responders and utility crews grabbed lunch between shifts. Volunteers found a moment to rest before heading back out. Around a shared meal, there was a chance to catch a breath in the middle of an exhausting week.

Inside the parish, tables quickly filled with practical necessities. Bottled water, diapers, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies, batteries, and flashlights were organized for anyone who needed them. With many homes still without electricity and a boil water advisory in effect, these simple items became essential tools for the days ahead.

As supplies arrived, volunteers looked for ways to bring them closer to those who needed them most. Wagons were loaded with food, water, and emergency supplies and walked directly into neighborhoods where roads remained difficult to navigate. Others opened the church parking lot so residents could leave vehicles and safely walk to damaged homes. Every response was practical, shaped by the needs people shared as they arrived.

What has been most striking is how many people have stepped forward together. Parishioners worked alongside friends, family members, local businesses, and volunteers from across the Fox Valley. Some who spent the morning cleaning up their own properties spent the afternoon helping someone else. The work has never belonged to one organization. It has belonged to an entire community choosing to carry one another through a difficult week.

This is often how the Church serves in moments like these. Not by standing apart from its neighbors, but by standing with them. A parish kitchen becomes a place to prepare meals. A parking lot becomes a staging area. A fellowship hall becomes a distribution center. Faith finds expression in ordinary acts of hospitality, generosity, and presence that help sustain a community as it begins the long work of recovery.

As Menasha continues to rebuild, we ask for your prayers for everyone affected by this storm, especially those who have lost homes, businesses, or a sense of normalcy. We also give thanks for the many hands at work: emergency personnel, utility crews, civic leaders, nonprofit partners, volunteers, local businesses, and congregations like St. Thomas that continue to remind us that hope is often found in something as simple as a shared meal, a bottle of water, a flashlight, and neighbors who refuse to let one another face hardship alone.

Any parish or individual may send a check payable to the Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin with the memo line reading  “Menasha disaster relief,” and we will remit funds to St Thomas.