JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - The city of Joplin received $17.7 million in donated resources and volunteer hours after a May tornado devastated parts of the city.
City Finance Director Leslie Jones told the City Council Tuesday that the city was able to count that amount toward its share of expenses paid by federal and state governments since the May 22 tornado.
Jones said the donations of materials and labor were the largest in Missouri's history. She also said it was the largest amount ever in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Region 7, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
The Joplin Globe reports (http://bit.ly/x3rf7o) that the city received help from 435 law enforcement, fire and ambulance agencies. Of those, 80 agencies asked for reimbursement, which amounted to $1.5 million.