Union City, Michigan, is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating tornado that struck Friday, leaving a trail of destruction and prompting a massive community response centered at Union City High School. The school has become the epicenter of relief efforts, providing shelter, food, and essential supplies to residents displaced and impacted by the storm.
Waves of volunteers began arriving as soon as conditions allowed, bringing donations of canned goods, clothing, pet food, and other necessities. As of Sunday lunchtime, at least 60 volunteers were actively sorting donations, preparing meals, and assisting with debris removal, according to reports from the scene.
“This is my community, you know what I mean? I grew up here,” said Haley Hutchins, a 21-year-old Union City High School graduate who traveled from Kalamazoo to help. “I was like, ‘I know where this is, I know they’re going to necessitate hands.’ Here I am.”
The tornado, confirmed as an EF3 with winds up to 150 mph, ripped through the area Friday night, resulting in three confirmed fatalities in Union City and at least a dozen injuries. Tragically, a 12-year-old boy too died in a neighboring county due to the storm, bringing the total death toll to four.
Union City Community Schools administrators swiftly convened their crisis response team Friday evening to coordinate a response. They opened Union City High School as a shelter, offering families a safe place to eat, sleep, and shower. The school is also serving as a central distribution point for donations and a gathering place for volunteers seeking direction.
Principal Michael Bates of Union City Elementary School noted the district’s preparedness stemmed, in part, from prior experience with tornado damage. “It’s already a really sensitive issue with people, so there was that mindset,” Bates said. “They’ve had to help before some, but never to this extent.” Two years prior, a series of tornadoes impacted southwest Michigan, including the nearby town of Sherwood, which is within the Union City school district.
The district is utilizing school buses to deliver bottled water and other essential supplies to the hardest-hit areas of Branch County, where road closures are hindering access for cleanup crews. A bus-turned-delivery-vehicle departed the high school parking lot Sunday morning with a shipment of supplies.
School officials and counselors are actively checking on students and staff members who have been affected by the storm, providing support and assessing damage. Bates personally assisted a family whose home was severely damaged, driving them to the shelter on Friday night.
Abi Spooner, the village of Union City’s utility billing clerk, is coordinating volunteer efforts from a makeshift command center outside the school gymnasium. She is directing volunteers with chainsaws to areas where they can assist with debris removal and connecting affected residents with resources such as volunteer electricians and donated generators. Spooner is also distributing fliers outlining available emergency response services.
The outpouring of support has been significant. On Saturday, Union City Community Schools announced they were overwhelmed with donations and requested assistance with moving the items from the cafeteria to the gymnasium. The Union City High School football and wrestling teams responded, volunteering their time to unload and organize the influx of goods. A semi-trailer from Walmart arrived Sunday morning with an additional load of supplies, prompting further volunteer efforts.
Gary Taylor, of Athens, and his family, who were in Detroit for a state finals event, immediately drove to Union City upon learning of the need. “We packed up in the truck and headed this way so we could help out,” Taylor said. “We just spent a weekend in Detroit doing the state finals. This is our first morning back. We got the message, so we came to see what we could do. The community came together really well.”
