After last weekend’s devastating Category 4 hurricane, Harvey, more and more people are joining together to help its victims in any way they can.
The Rio Grande Valley is pitching in with water, food and toiletries.
“We initiated the donation drop-off at the Main Library Branch Monday of this week,” Roxanna Rosas, City of Brownsville public relations manager, said this afternoon. “As of today, we have collected over 50,000 items from the community, including from residents to local businesses. We’ve received an enormous amount of support from the community.”
Abcnews.com reported that the hurricane, which struck Rockport Aug.25 and flooded Houston and surrounding communities, has left more than three dozen people dead, nearly 94,000 homes damaged or destroyed, with 325,000 people registering for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“We are accepting water bottles, toiletries, non-perishable foods, including baby products like diapers,” Rosas said. “We [also] welcome volunteers. We ask them to call 546-HELP (4357), as we do have a schedule and we assign volunteers as we get called.”
The City of Brownsville will collect items from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and will continue the drop-off beginning Tuesday until next Friday. The Main Library Branch is located at 2600 Central Blvd.
“We are going to keep the same hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Rosas said. “The administrative offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Labor Day.”
In addition to the drop-off, the city has also deployed six Brownsville Fire Department personnel to assist with Hurricane Harvey rescue and relief efforts in San Antonio, Houston and surrounding communities, according to Rosas.
“We are also working closely with the state to provide needed medical equipment to victims of Hurricane Harvey,” she said. “We’re accepting items like walkers, wheelchairs, catheters, any type of medical equipment.”
UTRGV senior and Student Veterans Association President Patrick Roberts sets the example as he will be going north today to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey in his own pickup truck.
“This isn’t just a one week deal, we are going to be doing this all month,” Roberts said.
He is looking for volunteers who would like to help rescue people from the affected areas.
“If they want to volunteer as far as going up north, they can contact me directly so that way, they would not be going by themselves because there are inherent risks,” Roberts said, “such as your vehicle getting damaged, your tires getting torn or popped, people getting lost and not knowing where to go.”
To volunteer for the rescue, the person must have a pickup truck, spare tire, tow strap and gas money.
“They can contact me whenever they find the information, but we would be going on the weekends,” Roberts said.
Students can also volunteer by using their vehicle to transport collected supplies from the university to the transportation drop-off points, by spreading word of what is happening and by collecting supplies.
“The best thing to do would be to go the Military and Veterans Success Center in the University Center 113 for Edinburg or Cortez Hall 244 in Brownsville,” Roberts said. “That is where they can drop off goods.”
The association has partnered with Greek organizations and Student Involvement, who will be accepting volunteers and items throughout the month.
“For the Student Veterans Association, it can be a monetary donation,” Roberts said. “We need baby formula, wipes, diapers, any type of hygiene, feminine products, clothes and food.”
He will also help the families that have been and will be brought to the Valley from the affected areas to be put into hotels.
“Think about the situation and donate anything [you] can,” Roberts said. “The families up north, most of them have lost everything, so even if you do not have a lot, donating something small that seems insignificant to you could mean something big to them.”
For more information about volunteering, contact Roberts at patrick.roberts01@utrgv.edu.