Local Red Cross deploys volunteers to Texas
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 29, 2017 5:50 AM
One disaster volunteer from Wayne County was in place before Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, and three others from here left Saturday to help disaster victims. Other volunteers and equipment are on standby to help with the recovery efforts.
Roberto Mendoza, an American Red Cross disaster volunteer from Goldsboro, left Friday to go to Houston. He is an emergency operations center liaison between the Red Cross and other agencies.
Cheryl Strickland went to Houston to help people who were displaced by the flooding get shelter.
Robert Goodson went to San Antonio, Texas, to open up three Red Cross shelters and act as manager of one.
Ralph Grover went to do mass care feeding and drive one of the Red Cross' emergency response vehicles.
They will all be in those areas for two weeks.
Also, four disaster volunteers from Lenoir County took two ERVs out to Texas.
The Red Cross in Eastern North Carolina has sent 33 volunteers and staff 53 counties to Texas and Louisiana. It also sent four of its seven emergency response vehicles to the Gulf Coast.
"We kept the ERV stationed in Goldsboro in case we need to respond to the tropical storm anticipated along the North Carolina coast," said Brittany Jennings, Red Cross regional communications officer in Raleigh.
She said that due to extremely dangerous flooding conditions in Texas and parts of Louisiana, getting help to some areas will be challenging for some time.
"This is a heartbreaking and challenging situation for those in the storm's path and the American Red Cross is working around the clock to provide safe shelter and comfort for the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by this disaster," Ms. Jennings said.
In addition to people and equipment from Eastern North Carolina, there are hundreds of Red Cross volunteers from all over the country. The Red Cross also propositioned blood products in Houston ahead of the storm to make sure there will be an adequate supply of blood, Ms. Jennings said.
Local people wanting to help can make a financial donation to the Red Cross disaster recovery efforts by logging onto redcross.org, calling 800-RED CROSS or texting "Harvey" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
The local Salvation Army is on standby to send its canteen to the flooded areas to feed survivors, said Capt. Sherrie Stokes with the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army from other parts of the country are in Texas now serving meals, helping clean up and evacuating people who were stuck.
"The Salvation Army even went into houses and took people out by boat," Ms. Stokes said. "They have been taking food to people and providing shelter by opening up their fellowship halls and putting cots in for people to sleep on."
The Salvation Army rotates its canteens every 14 days, so Wayne County's canteen may be headed to Texas in a couple of weeks.
If it does, the Salvation Army staff will take clothing, food, water and things like this with it, if anyone wants to make a donation.
But the Salvation Army will also take monetary donations. Anyone wanting to donate can send a check to the Salvation Army, 610 N. William St., Goldsboro, N.C., 27530.
For more information about making donations to the Salvation Army, call the local office at 919-735-4811.