GEORGETOWN, Del. - Delawareans are coming together to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Helene has devastated multiple states in the Southeast when it made landfall in Florida Thursday night. It is a category 4 hurricane and caused over 120 deaths.
Old Paths Church of Christ is hosting a Hurricane Helene Relief donation drive. It began Monday, September 30 and will end Friday, October 4.
The following essential items are welcomed:
- Cleaning supplies- bleach, gloves, buckets, laundry supplies
- Personal hygiene- diapers, formula, adult diapers, sanitary products
- Food- canned goods, boxed foods, water, Gatorade
- Household items- flashlights, batteries, tarps, new blankets, sleeping bags
- Pet supplies- litter, pet food
It is preferred if the donations are dropped off in boxes rather than bags if possible.
Sherry Long, a veteran, is helping to coordinate donation drop offs in all three counties. "There are people that are hurting. That's been going on in our country for a while, but this is something that's very real and something that we can do something about. And we're hopeful for September 12th."
Long recalls September 12, 2001 as a day when the American people came together for a common cause following the terrorist attacks on September 11.
As a veteran, Long says this service is special to her.
"This is not about a party, this is not about partisanship. This is about caring about your fellow man. Someone needs, and we need to help one another. That's what we're supposed to do."
People in the area like Chris Moore dropped off the request essential items like dog food and water.
Moore agreed that it's time to band together even if people across Delmarva aren't directly impacted by Helene.
"Why not help put our fellow Americans?" asked Moore. "We're all in this together. It could be us next time."
Volunteers will be preparing boxes from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Old Paths Church of Christ on Friday. Those boxes will be loaded on to a trailer and headed to Georgia on Saturday.
As she continues to help coordinate this effort, Long says "thank you. Keep praying, help where you can. Love you, brother and sister. We're all Americans."
Items can be dropped off at the church between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Friday is the deadline for the first round of emergency immediate response relief, but donations will continue to be accepted and transported to Georgia.