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Preparing our Nation's Rural Communities
for
Health & Safety
THe Planners4Health Team is raising funds to help the residents of Van Zandt, Texas, recover from tornados that destroyed many of the communities in April of 2017.
All monetary donations directly go to the Canton Resident Community Fund.
The Emergency Preparedness and Recovery:
A Toolkit for Rural Communities
ABOUT
PLANNERS4HEALTH
On April 29, 2017, seven tornadoes ripped through Van Zandt County in Northeast Texas, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage, and 4 fatalities. Two of the seven tornadoes were found to have caused the most damage and were rated an EF-3 and EF-4. The areas that were affected the most were immediately to the East and immediately to the West of Canton, Texas.
In response to the devastating tornados, the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association and the University of North Texas's School of Public Health assembled a Planers4Health team to focus on disaster recovery, in Van Zandt County, from a Social Determinants of Health perspective.
The Planners4Health Project is an extension of the American Planning Association's Plan4Health initiative. The American Planning Association, in partnership with the American Public Health Association, and many others, was allotted a grant, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to address the healthy living standings in our nation's communities.
The Planners4Health team aims to create a disaster preparedness and recovery tool kit for small and rural communities through the lens of public health and planning, by hosting a community roundtable for Van Zandt County residents and officials to discuss the tool kit, and most importantly raise donations for the residents affected by the tornados in Van Zandt County, Texas.
The Planners4Health team hopes this project sheds light on the necessity to create an emergency preparedness and recovery plan so small and rural communities can better prepare for disasters in their own areas.
Emergency Preparedness and Recovery: A Toolkit for Rural Communities
Get Involved
While the recovery effort has been underway since the tornadoes hit Van Zandt County, the area is still in need of volunteers, supplies, and most importantly, monetary donations.
A lack of storage facilities and housing, the areas remoteness, protecting livestock, and a need for legal aid can make recovery in rural areas extra challenging.
Donating your time or money will help the residents of Van Zandt build back a more resilient community.

RESOURCES
The following organizations have contributed to the Planners4Health disaster recovery research and planning.




DONATE DIRECTLY TO THE CANTON RESIDENT COMMUNITY FUND
ATTEND THE FIRST MONDAY TRADE DAYS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY
REACH OUT & VOLUNTEER WITH THE VAN ZANDT COUNTY LONG TERM RECOVERY GROUP