Carmel Flood Victims Get Lifeline as Lucas Estate Hosts Drive-Through Relief Rally

Central Indiana families still digging out from historic flooding will get a boost Thursday when the City of Carmel hosts a drive-through donation event at the Lucas Estate, allowing residents to hand off canned goods, cleaning supplies and emergency gear straight from their cars. The Rally for Relief runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the 33-acre estate at 11303 Ditch Road, with volunteers unloading items like canned tuna, microwavable rice and mixed nuts as donors pull through.

The event, first detailed in a City of Carmel Facebook post, comes less than two weeks after the region endured what the National Weather Service describes as historic flooding between August 11 and 17, when repeated thunderstorms dumped over a foot of rain in some areas and pushed the White River to levels not seen since 1913. Mayor Sue Finkam and the Carmel City Council are joining the rally, alongside partners OneZone Chamber of Commerce and Lucas Oil, according to the Facebook announcement.

The flooding hit Carmel hard, submerging homes in the Northwood Hills neighborhood along 116th Street and triggering a partial road collapse on Hazel Dell Parkway south of 106th Street, as reported by WTHR-TV. Rising floodwaters forced residential evacuations and shut down multiple roads across Hamilton County in the disaster's immediate aftermath.

City Extends Emergency Declaration

Finkam extended an official local emergency declaration on August 21 following the storm damage and widespread displacement of residents throughout Hamilton County, according to Read The Reporter. That declaration formally activated the interjurisdictional disaster response that has continued to unfold in the weeks since.

Just two days before the Rally for Relief, the city held a Flood Recovery Open House on Tuesday at Northview Church, connecting affected residents with disaster relief agencies and offering free tetanus vaccinations because of bacterial risks from contaminated floodwaters and debris, the outlet's report notes. Together, the two events show a city government moving quickly on multiple fronts to get displaced families both immediate health resources and longer-term material support.

Where the Donations Are Headed

Donations gathered Thursday will directly benefit the Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank and the Hamilton County Community Foundation, which will distribute physical supplies and emergency funds to displaced local families. The food bank maintains a countywide pantry network, while the foundation established a dedicated Hamilton County Flood Relief Fund during the mid-August emergency that directs 100 percent of monetary contributions to local recovery efforts, the same outlet reports.

Beyond pantry staples, organizers are seeking practical recovery gear: dehumidifiers, generators, window and portable air conditioners, tarps, work gloves and battery-powered lights. Cleaning supplies on the list include bleach, mold-cleaning and mold-prevention products, disinfectant spray, mops, buckets and heavy-duty trash bags — the kind of items families need to salvage flood-damaged homes rather than simply restock a pantry.

A Familiar Venue for Local Giving

The Lucas Estate has become something of a philanthropic workhorse for Central Indiana. Acquired in 2010 by Lucas Oil co-founders Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, the property has hosted more than 400 community charity events rent-free for regional non-profits, as Hoodline previously reported. Forrest Lucas died in August 2025 at age 83, and family philanthropic events at the estate are now overseen with leadership from his daughter-in-law, Katie Lucas, according to the Indiana Blind Children's Foundation.

OneZone Chamber of Commerce, one of the event's partners, formed in 2015 through the merger of the Carmel and Fishers chambers of commerce and now serves as the primary business advocacy organization across Hamilton County, per the Indianapolis Business Journal. The organization expanded further in 2023 by merging management with the Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce, broadening its reach across the region's suburban business community.

Event organizers also secured a large operational tent donated by A Classic Party Rental to shelter volunteers and donated items during drop-off hours, according to the city's announcement carried by Read The Reporter. The drive-through format means donors never have to leave their vehicles, with volunteers handling the unloading as cars move through the estate's grounds between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday.