Donations to the Franklin County, Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund established by the Franklin County Y.E.S. Foundation are still coming in to help local families who lost everything in the tornadoes.

On Tuesday, John Hamm, a marketing representative with Southern Health Partners, presented a $2,500 check to be deposited in the fund on behalf of his company. Hamm said Southern Health Partners, who contracts with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to provide medical services to the inmates, wanted to make sure the money stayed local.

“When we contract with an area, the employees we hire are local, so this disaster hit home for us,” Hamm said. “We had employees that had damage and we had employees who were out there helping in the days following the tornado, so our company wanted to do what we could to help with the relief and rebuilding efforts.

“We wanted this money to stay local and we knew the people administering the [Franklin County, Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund] would know who needed it the most and where the money would go to provide the most benefit.”

Phil Campbell councilman Danny Brown, who serves on the committee established to distribute the money, said the committee gives money to needy families in $300 to $500 increments. Brown said with the estimated $60,000 the fund has received, they have been able to help 131 local families so far.

“Giving $300 to $500 at a time may not seem like much, but it’s a whole lot for someone who has lost everything they own,” Brown said. “Every family that has received money has been so grateful. One lady couldn’t even speak she became so emotional. This money means so much to these folks and they really need it right now.”