While the situation in Texas is slowly improving, recovery efforts will take months.
A local group is doing all it can to provide the supplies needed to help storm victims get back on their feet. But they need your help.
The wheels of progress are turning at Stock Transport in Lebanon, Illinois. This is the heart of a volunteer-run donation drive that will deliver 20 or more tractor-trailer loads full of goods to Texas from dozens of collection points in southern Illinois and eastern Missouri.
“We have accumulated a massive amount of supplies and basically we're unloading some of those trailers, consolidating those supplies so we can ship those supplies right back out,” said organizer Rob Stock.
Sunday morning nearly 100 volunteers pitched in to sort, pack, and wrap pallets full of everything storm survivors will need in the coming weeks and months.
“Anything we can do to help to make their lives a little easier we wanted to come out,” said volunteer Alicia Mueller, a volunteer from Lebanon, Illinois. “And if it's just a couple of hours, I mean, that's nothing.”
“I thought helping out at a hurricane Harvey event would be helpful to people around Texas,” added 14-year-old Calvin Sato, who came from Scott Air Force Base to lend a hand.
“We all had the same goal, to help the people in Houston,” said Mascoutah High School volunteer Kaitlyn Harris.
“It was really fast-paced. But everyone was really friendly and nice,” said volunteer Sophia Sato.
And for eight-year-old Michael Cairo and his father, volunteering was a family affair.
“I loved my job!” said Cairo.
While the donation drive has been a huge success, getting the items to Texas will require an equally huge amount of manpower.
“We'll still be collecting continuously through the middle of September,” said Stock. “We're going to need additional volunteers to unpackage and repackage trailers so we can continue the flow of donations and goods and livestock supplies.”
Three trucks rolled out Sunday to follow the three that arrived in Texas Saturday. More will head south in the coming days.
Click here to find more information on how to volunteer or where to drop off items.
