A new initiative launched in Independence this week to help residents recover from major weather incidents like the two confirmed tornadoes that tore through the metro Tuesday.

The Vulnerable Neighbor Assistance Program, originally set to launch July 1, is part of Independence’s new Community and Emergency Services Department, and aims to expand the city’s volunteer base.

Tuesday’s storms, including a confirmed tornado in Independence and another in Kansas City, caused the city to bump up the start of the initiative almost a month earlier than anticipated.

“Our goal is that we will have individuals that have the resources, whether that’s a truck, a trailer, chainsaws, ladders, things like that, that are able-bodied, volunteer that we will be able to then partner up with individuals

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