JOPLIN, Mo. — TAMKO Building Products LLC is donating $100,000 to the Ozark Chapter of the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts in three Southwest Missouri counties — Jasper, Newton and Barton.

David Humphreys, TAMKO’s president and CEO, presented the check to the Red Cross Ozark Chapter this morning.

The gift comes just a week after damaging tornadoes hit a large swath of the Midwest, including the Southwest Missouri towns of Carl Junction, Oronogo and Golden City. The tornado outbreak occurred on the eight-year anniversary of the May 22, 2011 EF5 Joplin tornado, one of the deadliest and most damaging in recent history.

“We know firsthand the devastation these storms can bring, but we also know the difference that the Red Cross can make in helping people recover,” Humphreys said. “It’s not so distant a memory – we remember the outpouring of support after the Joplin tornado and we make this donation in the same spirit of kindness that our neighbors need so desperately right now.”

The southwest Missouri towns affected by the May 22, 2019 tornadoes are near Joplin, where TAMKO was founded in 1944 and continues to operate numerous facilities. The Carl Junction tornado damaged an estimated 200 homes, 21 of them completely destroyed. Three people were killed and one seriously injured in the Golden City tornado later that same night.  Both the Carl Junction and Golden City tornadoes have been rated EF3, and the Oronogo tornado is thought to have been an EF0.

While no TAMKO employees were injured or TAMKO facilities hit by these tornadoes, several employees did suffer significant damage to their homes and properties. Teams of TAMKO employees were in Carl Junction the day after the storm, helping co-workers and other neighbors with clean-up efforts. Those volunteer efforts continued through this week.

“We can’t say enough about the generosity of TAMKO and the Humphreys in this community, not just today, but in the past,” said Stacy Burks, executive director of the American Red Cross of Southern Missouri, who accepted the donation check today. “We’re so thankful for this gift – it’s going to help many people in their recovery and future disaster relief efforts.”

TAMKO has donated to the Red Cross in the past for disaster recovery efforts, including $1 million in 2011 for Joplin tornado recovery; $100,000 in 2011 for Alabama tornado recovery; $100,000 following the 2014 tornadoes in Baxter Springs, Kansas and Quapaw, Oklahoma; and $200,000 in 2017 for hurricanes Harvey and Maria relief efforts.