Hello,

My name is Anna, and I’m a close friend of Tom and Heather Braun’s family. It’s with a heavy heart that I share their story.

On April 17th, a devastating tornado tore through their community, destroying both of their family businesses and much of their livelihood. The storm severely damaged Heather’s daycare and Tom’s welding shop. Their barn and storage shed were completely demolished, along with most of their equipment and livestock.

Not only is this devasting for them, but 7 other families have also felt the impact of this tornado.

In addition to the physical destruction, the loss of Heather’s daycare has resulted in an immediate and total loss of income. The daycare was one of Tom and Heather's primary sources of stability for their family and served many local children who now have no provider. With the building unsalvageable and licensing dependent on relocating the daycare into their home, the financial strain of lost revenue and the cost of rebuilding has created an overwhelming burden.

Right now, Tom and Heather are working tirelessly to clean up their fields for spring planting and to renovate their home to meet licensing requirements so daycare services can resume.

They lost essential farm equipment, including their corn planter, grain drill, round and square balers, feed mixers, grain trucks, bale conveyor, several tractors, hay, and nearly all livestock bedding. Their entire pasture fencing also needs major repair or replacement.

The loss of Tom’s farm equipment has created a serious setback for their ability to continue livestock care and crop production this season. Much of the equipment destroyed in the storm is not only expensive but also essential for daily operations—without tractors, balers, and planting machinery, the work simply cannot continue. Replacing even a portion of this equipment is critical for the farm to function, provide income, and ensure their family and their livestock remain supported in the months ahead.

Heather’s daycare building, sadly, cannot be salvaged—it shifted off its foundation and suffered severe roof damage from a fallen tree, along with the loss of most of the equipment and supplies inside. While their home received the least damage, it still requires significant repairs, including new windows.

My hope is to help Tom and Heather rebuild — to restore their daycare, feed their animals, replace lost equipment, and bring stability back to their farm and family. Our farmers and childcare providers support our communities every day; now it’s our turn to support them in their time of need.