PEABODY — Local residents and people across the region are donating to organized funds and looking for ways to help out waterlogged southeastern Texas enduring Hurricane Harvey.
The Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund will see donations from Peabody. Established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, donations to the fund go directly to rescue and relief efforts in the Houston area, according to Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr.
“Our thoughts in Peabody are with the people of Houston and the state of Texas,” Bettencourt stated in a press release. “Our entire community will lend a helping hand to those that have been affected by this disaster. In a time like this, any amount of help goes a long way.”
Bettencourt said his office has received numerous calls and inquiries from Peabody residents asking how they can support the relief efforts in Houston.
Donations can be made on the city’s website at www.peabody-ma.gov. In the upper right-hand corner click on “Online Payment Center.” From there, there is a Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Click on the ‘Donate’ button underneath the text and to be directed to a Paypal portal where the donation amount and other necessary information can be entered.
In Medford, Mayor Stephanie M. Burke on Wednesday urged residents to help people enduring the massive rainfall brought by the hurricane.
“The city of Medford will support and contribute in any way possible to help restore the Texas community as they strive to keep their communities safe and begin the recovery process,” Burke said.
Nancy Cassidy, a local Lynn resident, spent Wednesday evening shopping for baby items to bring to Salem for donations.
“I don’t have family in Texas but here I am in Massachusetts seeing all these floods and mudslides all over the news,” Cassidy said. “We don’t have any of that here and I am so grateful for that so I am doing absolutely everything that I can to donate to the victims in Texas.”
Medford’s Burke endorsed several organizations for receipt of donations from Medford residents:
The American Red Cross is accepting donations to aid more than 1,700 people in Texas shelter and support cleanup efforts. Call 800-RED-CROSS or text HARVEY to 90999 to donate. Giving blood is another way to help.
Americares in Stamford, Conn., provides medical supplies and aid in response to emergencies. The nonprofit helped with relief efforts in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.
In Saugus, Sin City Cycles and its owner, Greg Domey, have put together a donation spot called “Everything is here” located in Cliftondale Square collecting diapers, formula, and other baby and family necessities.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Texas and we are just trying to do what we can,” Domey said. “We just started taking in donations and we think we are going to have a great response.”
For the past week the city of Salem has been collecting diapers and non-perishable baby food in an extension with Boston’s “Help for Houston” to be sent out to Texas by late Thursday, early Friday.