"After it hit it was like a warzone, you know all the trees down. House gone. "So I'm grateful to the Salvation Army and many people who have come out to assist us," says Sharon Smith, whose home was damaged.
Town officials and several organizations established a command center to deploy hundreds of volunteers.
The sound of chainsaws echoed through the area as crews worked to remove fallen trees and damaged structures.
"We sent them to one of the hardest hit neighborhoods to clean up the debris," said Shaun Patterson, with United Way of Northwest Indiana.
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Captain Jim Prichard of the Salvation Army said the emotional toll on residents has been significant.
"Trying to hold back the tears because some of the stories you know are heart wrenching. Some of them are lost. They don't know what's happening next. They lost everything," said Prichard.
Among the volunteers were students from Andrean High School, which also sustained extensive damage in the storm.
"It's the way I've been raised... my mom went to school at Andrean and all her siblings. We've grown up there really, and it being relevant to us now all this damage and destruction we really just wanted to give back," said Bouton.
Recovery efforts are expected to continue in the coming weeks. Officials said more volunteer opportunities will be organized, and the Salvation Army plans to host food drives for those affected by the tornado.