Among many updates related to the Aug. 12 flood response, volunteers are following up on survivors’ needs, Cambridge City officials have temporary new phone numbers and a payment dropbox, and more resources are available to some residents, including children’s books and food and hotel benefits.
New phones, dropbox
Cambridge City now has two temporary phones that town employees can answer directly instead of town employees having to let calls to the longtime number go directly to voicemail.
For all water inquiries, call the city building’s temporary number at 765-459-1539.
Joe Webb, superintendent of public works, now can be reached at 765-459-1508.
A locked drop box for water payments has been installed at the town garage, 152 S. Green St., Cambridge City.
Mail should still be sent to the longtime town hall address, 127 N. Foote St., Cambridge City, IN 47327. Payments also can be made online at cambridgecity.in.gov/water.
Bills can be picked up between 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays on the west side of the temporary town hall in the former school at 519 Queen St., Pershing. Town employees also can send bills via email upon request for those unavailable during office hours. Estimated bills are expected to continue in October.
Recovery support
Wayne County’s new Long-Term Recovery Group began calling residents on Friday, Sept. 25, and Monday, Sept. 28, who’d reported flood damage to Indiana 211.
The LTRG is being assembled with representatives from area nonprofits, businesses, government agencies, faith-based communities and other organizations to pursue continued recovery efforts. It will help facilitate individual assistance through outreach, funding and resources, disaster case management, and volunteer management.
Group volunteers recently received training to help residents develop recovery plans, advocate for resident needs and make referrals.
The calls will come through the phone number 765-312-4699. Volunteers do not ask for bank account numbers, Social Security numbers or other personal identifying information.
Free books
Every Child Can Read is offering up to 10 additional books at no cost for Wayne County families who lost books in the flood and are currently enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for ages 0-4.
ECCR leaders say books can provide comfort, understanding and healing during a difficult time.
For additional details and pickup arrangements at 12 N. 17th St. in Richmond, email info@everychildcanread.org.
SNAP benefits
On Sept. 17, Indiana received federal approval to replace a portion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for residents who live in select ZIP codes.
Marcus Barlow, deputy chief of staff for Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, told WWN that the federal government determines ZIP codes that meet the requirement for this SNAP replacement waiver. Qualifying areas had at least 50% of the area’s population experiencing a power outage lasting four hours or more.
Eligible ZIP codes in Wayne County are 47339 (Economy); 47345 (Greens Fork); and 47360 (a small area in Wayne County’s northwest corner just north of Dalton. The 47360 ZIP code extends west into Henry County’s Mooreland and surrounding area, which also will receive benefits.
Additional qualifying Henry County ZIP codes are 46117, 47334 and 47352.
Randolph County had two qualifying ZIP codes, 47320 and 47360, as did Fayette County, with 47024 and 47352. Union County had one, 47003.
Replacements were approved based on the date SNAP recipients’ allotments were originally received before the storm.
For Aug. 5-9, the replacement percentage is 60%. That drops to 30% for those receiving benefits July 19-23 and 15% for July 11-17 recipients.
SNAP replacement benefits were to be added directly to eligible recipients’ EBT cards on or around Saturday, Sept. 26. If a household already applied for and received replacement benefits up to their maximum allotment, they won’t receive additional benefits.
State officials estimate that approximately 36,533 households qualify for replacement SNAP benefits.
Vouchers extension
On Sept. 21, Indiana Department of Homeland Security announced that displaced disaster survivors actively using a hotel voucher that expired within the next seven days would get up to 30 more days.
IDHS is funding the extension, largely through Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Survivors don’t need to submit new applications or call 211. They can present their letter to their current hotel, and the hotel’s manager is to call IHCDA to confirm the extension.
If an extension isn’t possible, the survivor can stay the next 30 days at a different hotel. Survivors are to call IHCDA directly to get assistance in transferring.
Updates are available at on.in.gov/August2026Disaster.
Volunteers needed
Cambridge City Christian Church is permanently closing its flood relief center at 106 W. Church St. in Cambridge City, but it will continue providing aid as needed.
The donation center’s final hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. Those needing food or other supplies are asked to contact the church office and staff will help as best they can.
CCCC has begun accepting applications for direct financial assistance for residents in the Western Wayne Schools district. A video offering more details is available at youtu.be/xgu3wfKMRIc. Church membership isn’t a factor in fund distributions. Applications are now available at the church office during regular hours, which are 8 a.m.-noon weekdays.
For more information, call 765-478-5123.
Photo mystery
Alisha Lilley of Lilley Photography in Cambridge City continues volunteering to restore water- and mud-damaged photos at no charge to area residents.
On Thursday, Sept. 23, she reported restoring several prints that found their way into someone else’s yard on Vine Street in Connersville. Lilley now hopes to return them to the rightful owner.
Two have Olan Mills studio logos imprinted. One has a young child in a primarily pink outfit and a 1994 logo. Another appears to be a seated infant in a patterned blue and white onesie with a bear near the shoulder.
For more information, call 765-312-2115 or email lilleyphotos@gmail.com.
A version of this article appeared in the September 30 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
