DES MOINES -- With industry contributions now topping $409,500 for flood relief, Iowa credit unions Tuesday were still receiving member requests for those emergency $500 grants being extended by the Iowa Credit Union Foundation under its Disaster Relief program aided by the National Credit Union Foundation.

"I am a little surprised at the volume we received-over 300-and that they are still coming in on a daily basis," said Dyann Longseth, vice president of communications for the $1.4 billion Veridian CU of Waterloo, which itself made the largest single contribution of $100,000 to the foundation disaster fund.

There are still many members "in a digging out phase" with three Veridian employees who lost their homes entirely or suffered extensive damage, said Longseth who herself was displaced for nine days out of her Waverly home on the flooded Cedar River and for a time was unable to come to work as floodwaters blocked roads. .

Marybeth Foster, executive director of the foundation, said donations from CUs, foundations and leagues from across the U.S. continue to arrive in the Des Moines office with grant money already being distributed to member victims of 38 CUs across the state. Grant requests processed through the foundation office have now topped 1,900 as foundation committees sift through applications.