With still-fresh memories of the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, local residents are mobilizing to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey, the massive storm that dropped record-setting rains and caused massive flooding, destroying an estimated 130,000 homes in Harris County, Texas, and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
The North Fork Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Jernick Moving and Storage in Greenport to collect donations of much-needed supplies for victims of Hurricane Harvey and transport them directly to Texas. Donations can be dropped off at the Southold IGA on Saturday, Sept. 9 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and any time this week at Blue Duck Bakery in Southold or Greenport or at Wendy’s Deli on Route 48 in Mattituck. See prior story for details.
Suffolk County legislators and the Suffolk County Lions Club are organizing a week-long food drive for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Donations of nonperishable food items will be accepted at the Riverhead County Center (Evans K. Griffing Building, 300 Center Drive, Riverside) during the Legislature’s general meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 6, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Donations are being accepted at the individual legislators’ offices from Sept. 5 through Sept. 12, including the office of Legislator Al Krupski at 423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 2, in
Riverhead.
Presbyterian churches mobilize to help schoolchildren
North Fork Presbyterian churches are participating in Presbyterian disaster assistance programs by assembling school kits and hygiene kits. The Mattituck Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Southold are accepting donations of items for these kits, which will be delivered to locations in Corpus Christi and Victoria, Texas.
School kit: one pair of blunt (round-tip scissors); three 70-count spiral notebooks; one 12-inch ruler; one hand-held pencil sharpener; six new pencils with erasers; one large eraser; one box of 24 crayons; one cloth bag (cotton or lightweight canvas) with handles. Place all items in the cloth bag.
Hygiene kit: one hand towel (16 by 28); one washcloth; one wide-tooth comb; one nail clipper; one bar of soap (bath size, in wrapper); one toothbrush (in original packaging); six Band-Aids. No toothpaste please. Seal all items in a one-gallon zipper-loc plastic bag.
First Presbyterian Church of Southold is accepting monetary donations to help purchase items for kits. Write “Gift of the Heart Kits” in the memo line of your check to First Presbyterian Church of Southold, P.O. Box 787, Southold NY 11971 or donate online. http://www.fpcsouthold.org/Pages/onlinegiving.html
Hundreds of shelter animals need homes
Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton is getting ready to receive its first group of about 15 dogs displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
Kent is a Northeast regional partner of Best Friends Animals Sanctuary and in conjunction with the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons many of the animals displaced by the Hurricane will be brought to safety.
The first wave of Texas rescues arrives on Tuesday. More animals will be coming as soon as space is available and so on and so on until as many animals as possible are rescued, Kent said.
The displaced animals will be given food, shelter and medical care in addition to being spayed or neutered and micro-chipped before going to their new homes, according to the shelter.
Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons sent three transport vehicles to Texas on Sept. 1.
ARF is working with rescue organizations in Texas to make room in already-overcrowded municipal shelters in areas hard-hit by the hurricane, to create shelter capacity for animals rescued from the floods and animals of evacuees.
ARF anticipates bringing back between 60 and 70 cats and dogs, depending on their sizes and needs. Once the animals are medically cleared, they will be available for adoption at the ARF Adoption Center, as well as partner shelters, including the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation and the Kent Animal Shelter.
Kent is seeking donations to help with its efforts to rescue displaced animals from Texas. Donations can be made online or by mail to Kent Animal Shelter, 2259 River Road, Calverton, New York 11933.
