CHICAGO (CBS) — As flooding from Hurricane Harvey begins to recede in the Houston area, people in the Chicago area have been stepping up to send help; from food to bottled water to simple words of encouragement.
Cities and villages such as Joliet, Orland Park, and Broadview have been collecting packaged foods, drinks, water, baby supplies, pet supplies, and more.
In south suburban Richton Park, students at Southland College Prep Charter High School have donated 15,000 bottles of water, along with handwritten notes of encouragement for storm victims.
“Students are going to hand write out these notes that we are aware of the situation. We’re sensitive to the situation. We support you,” school counselor Ron Anderson said. “Sometimes just a word could be uplifting.”
Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said donations of packaged non-perishable food and cleaning supplies were being accepted outside Joliet City Hall from Thursday through Sept. 8. Cadence Logistics will then drive a tractor trailer truck filled with donations to hurricane victims in Texas.
“We’ve been in contact with the Red Cross here locally, and then Red Cross chapters in Texas. So they gave us a list of items that they need,” O’Dekirk said.
On the city’s website, Joliet officials said they are accepting donations of pre-packaged water, juice, diapers, and canned vegetables; as well as work gloves, box fans, construction-grade trash bags, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, tampons, and other toiletries. They are not taking clothes, toys, or furniture.
O’Dekirk said Joliet has a long history of helping those in need after a natural disaster.
“We’ve seen this before. When there was the tornado in Coal City a couple years ago, our residents really stepped up and we had city workers down there helping,” he said.
Meantime, Orland Park village manager Joe LaMargo said there are three collection sites in Orland. They will be accepting unopened baby food, toiletries, blankets, diapers, formula, batteries, flashlights, first aid supplies, pet food, leashes, bowls, and packaged single-serve food items.
The city of Harvey is gathering donations of bottled water at Sibley Boulevard and Dixie Highway, and will ship it to Texas on Monday. Harvey officials also are offering to house up to 10 displaced Houston area families.
The Broadview Fire Department also is collecting donations of water, juice, sports drinks, pre-packaged food, and paper products.
from CBS Chicago http://ift.tt/2xPvXAl
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