After tornadoes struck her mobile home community in Southwest Michigan on May 7, Autumn Schlotteback and her family sought refuge at an American Red Cross shelter. She said the Red Cross was a godsend.

“It has been amazing and people have been so kind,” she said.

Many of her neighbors also went to the shelter after their homes were destroyed. “It’s nice to talk to others who have been through it. It feels safe here,” Schlotteback said.

Schlotteback was at work when the tornadoes hit. Her father, Tracy, was babysitting the grandchildren at home. He covered them with a mattress to shield them as the storm rolled their home on its side, shifting the foundation. A tree fell on one side. “It was rough,” he said. “I hadn’t been through anything like it. It seemed like it went on forever.” He said he heard two tornado sirens.

He, too, is thankful for the Red Cross and the shelter.

“We are grateful for the help,” he said. “It gives me hope.”