AgStar Financial Services donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross Southeast Minnesota chapter on Wednesday in response to the flooding across southern Minnesota last week.

The Freeborn County chapter of the American Red Cross is part of the southeast Minnesota chapter.

Jeanie Opdahl, director of the Freeborn County Red Cross, said the distribution of the $25,000 donation has yet to be determined locally but will most likely go to individuals in need across southern Minnesota.

“Those funds are used to help with the shelters and in the client casework,” she said.

Over the past week, Opdahl said she and 10 Freeborn County American Red Cross volunteers handed out about 40 cleanup kits and completed nearly 80 home assessments.

She said they set up a shelter in Hollandale on Sept. 25.

According to statistics from the southeast Minnesota chapter of the American Red Cross , Freeborn County was one of 16 counties in southern Minnesota affected by the heavy rainfalls received on Sept. 23.

New Richland was cited as one of the hardest hit communities across the region. Opdahl said that Freeborn and Hollandale were also greatly affected by the heavy rains.

“Almost all of the homes in Freeborn had water,” she said. “Quite a few had sewer backup, as well.”

According to Steinfeldt, four officers from the Blue Earth AgStar location service clients in Freeborn County.

Steinfeldt said several AgStar clients in Freeborn County were affected, although, “most flooding for our clients has just been in the fields,” she said.

The direct effect on these clients, she said, has been a delay in the harvest season.

Steinfeldt said that AgStar was instrumental in helping during the devastation following the tornadoes in June, and chose to make this $25,000 donation to the American Red Cross because the company recognized the importance of the Red Cross’s services during an emergency.

“In this kind of a situation, Red Cross is able to get resources out there quicker and help people who need it the most, the quickest,” said Steinfeldt.

Melanie Tschida at the American Red Cross southeast Minnesota chapter was thankful for the donation.

“These contributions, along with the support of the American public, are critical during floods and similar disasters because they enable the Red Cross to rush immediate relief to disaster victims before the first donation has been given,” she said.

In addition to the donation, Steinfeldt said AgStar is exploring other ways in which they may be able to assist farmers, small business owners and others hit hardest by last week’s heavy rainfalls.

“We challenge other organizations and corporations to make similar donations to expedite the recovery process and help those were were impacted rebuild,” said Steinfeldt.