(WSBT) Relief is on its way for a community devastated by tornado. It damaged 250 homes and businesses in Nappanee last Thursday. Now, there's a Tornado Victims' Assistance Fund to help some of those people rebuild.

Officials say they want to make sure everyone who needs help gets it, even those who aren't insured.

If the city qualifies for federal aid, that will cover uninsured people so the fund will cover everyone else. If they don't get federal aid, the fund will cover as many people as it can. The bottom line: officials say they want to get things settled quickly because help is needed.

A platform and scattered tools are all that's left of Tom Cissna's workshop.

"It was my hobby and my way to get away from work. I make yard decorations and gifts for my grandkids. Everything was wiped out," he said.

Including $8,000 worth of tools. He has no insurance. It's not a dead end for Cissna and other uninsured people. The city has set up the Nappanee Tornado Victims' Fund to help rebuild homes and lives.

"We need some of that money to show up, help those families," said Mayor Larry Thompson.

But who gets money from the fund depends on whether Nappanee qualifies for federal aid.

"It's going to depend on whether we're declared a national site. If federal dollars come in we'll use it to shore up people who didn't qualify," Thompson said.

And there's help on the way if you DO have insurance. A representative from Indiana's Department of Insurance will be at the Nappanee Municipal Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

He'll answer any questions you may have about your Insurance policy and coverage.