Summer has ended, and in its wake is a trail of destruction across the Midwest and parts of the East Coast.

From June through September, upper Midwest states saw more rain than in previous years. In West Virginia, residents experienced a month’s worth of rain within hours. Torrential and oftentimes sporadic storms flooded areas, uprooted trees, and damaged infrastructure. Some communities endured long-term power outages, and in other areas residents were forced to evacuate their homes and have since become displaced.

Under-resourced communities with outdated infrastructure are still in recovery, even as states of emergency are declared, and neighbors provide support.…