Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers Gives to Eastern Kentucky Flood Communities

What Happened in Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky floods have repeatedly tested the resilience of communities across the region in recent years. The terrain, narrow river valleys, steep hillsides, and aging infrastructure, makes flooding both more likely and more destructive than in flatland communities. When major flood events strike, roads wash out, homes fill with water, and entire communities are cut off.

Governor Andy Beshear described the scale of the destruction as among the most severe Kentucky had seen in decades. Families lost belongings, homes, vehicles, and in some cases, loved ones. Rebuilding takes years, and the need for immediate supplies, water, food, dry clothing, basic medical items, is urgent in the days and weeks after a flood.

This Wasn’t Just a Firm Decision. It Was Personal.

Several members of our team are from Eastern Kentucky. The communities hit hardest by the flooding are places our people grew up, places where families have been for generations. When the floods came, the impact wasn’t abstract. One team member lost a relative. Others had family members who spent days without power, water, or access to basic supplies.

That personal connection is what drove the urgency of our response. We didn’t set up a donation link. We loaded supplies, drove to Pikeville, and handed them directly to people who needed them.

“The people of Eastern Kentucky are some of the strongest, most resilient people in the state. They give everything to their communities, and when disaster strikes, they deserve the same in return.”

, Sara Collins, Local Attorney and Eastern KY Community Member

What the Sam Cares Initiative Stands For

Sam Cares is the community-focused arm of Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers. It reflects a core belief: that a law firm’s responsibility to its community doesn’t end at the courtroom door. Kentucky is where our firm was built, where our team lives, and where our clients come from. When Kentucky communities are hurting, Sam Cares responds.

The Eastern Kentucky flood relief effort is one chapter in an ongoing story. Our team has participated in food drives, school supply donations, holiday giving campaigns, and other community initiatives throughout Louisville, Lexington, and across the state. The About Us section of our site tells the fuller story of who we are and what we stand for as a firm.

Where the Supplies Went

Every item we delivered went directly to flood-affected residents in the Pikeville area. Working with local community organizations and the Eastern Kentucky Dream Center, our team coordinated distribution to ensure supplies reached the people who needed them most, families displaced from their homes, elderly residents without transportation, and communities still without reliable access to stores or services.

The Eastern Kentucky Dream Center is a nonprofit rooted in the region that provides disaster relief, food support, and community support. Our $5,000 donation went directly to their operations, extending the reach of relief well beyond what we could deliver in a single trip.

Supplies Delivered to Pikeville

Our team drove to Eastern Kentucky loaded with:

• Non-perishable food, shelf-stable meals, canned goods, staples
• Clean drinking water, cases of bottled water for families without safe tap access
• Clothing, cold weather gear, dry clothing for all ages
• Blankets and bedding
• First aid and medical supplies
• Hygiene products

How the Drive Came Together

The week the rivers came back up in February 2025, attorney Sara Collins worked the phones from Louisville while the rest of the team handled logistics. The runs from Louisville to Hazard and Pikeville take roughly three hours each way down the Mountain Parkway and the Hal Rogers, with the last stretches into Perry and Pike counties moving slower than the map suggests. The road shoulders were still cut through with mud, and the bridges were rated for less than they were built for.

Staging happened at the firm’s Louisville office for Pikeville and the Lexington office for Hazard. Pallets of bottled water, baby formula, diapers, hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, blankets, work gloves, and tarps came in through the front door and went out the back. The team rented box trucks rather than caravan in personal vehicles, because 7,000 pounds of supplies will burn the brakes on a half-ton pickup before you finish the Daniel Boone.

Receiving the supplies in Eastern Kentucky was the Eastern Kentucky Dream Center, a regional nonprofit that already had warehouse space, volunteer routing, and the trust of families in Perry and Pike counties from the 2022 response.

The Dream Center’s framework is the reason the drop did not turn into a parking-lot pile-up. Their staff routes incoming materials by community need. A pregnant woman whose home had been gone for a week received a $500 card and baby formula the same day.

Sara Collins’ and Jon Hollan’s networks are what made the front end of the drive work. Pike County roots meant Sara could call a church in Pikeville, while Jon could call a local center in his hometown of Hazard. A $5,000 check to the Dream Center also went out, so the receiving end had operating cash for clothes and supplies.

If You Are handling Recovery After a Flood

Flood recovery involves more than rebuilding, it often involves insurance claims, disputes with adjusters over property damage, and questions about what your policy actually covers. If you’re dealing with an insurance company that isn’t paying what your flood or property damage claim is worth, or if you’ve suffered a personal injury related to the disaster, our team is here to talk through your options.

We also handle injury cases that arise in disaster recovery contexts, construction accidents, slip-and-fall incidents on damaged property, and more. Our practice areas page gives a full picture of the types of cases we handle. And if you’ve been affected by a disaster and simply have questions, call us, we’ll give you an honest answer with no pressure and no cost.

Eastern Kentucky has always punched above its weight. The communities there show up for each other in ways that put larger cities to shame. Our response was a small reflection of that, showing up, doing something real, and standing with the people of this state when it matters.

Follow Sam Cares

Sam Cares is an ongoing initiative. To stay updated on our community involvement, charitable giving, and future efforts, follow Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers on social media or check back on our About Us page. If you are part of a Kentucky nonprofit or community organization with a cause that aligns with our values, we’d like to hear from you.

Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers serves clients across Louisville, Lexington, and throughout Kentucky. Find a location near you or reach our team directly by phone, 24/7, no appointment needed.

What Makes Us Different Sam Aguiar explains how the firm handles a claim when an insurance company controls the file, the records, and the timeline.