ROANOKE, Va. – As floodwaters continue to devastate parts of Texas, a Central Virginia nonprofit is mobilizing local support to send relief to families who have lost everything.
Gleaning for the World set up shop in front of Sam’s Club in Lynchburg, gathering supplies at home to help those affected by the disaster hundreds of miles away.
Bobby Mobley, a volunteer at Gleaning for the World, said, “This type of event doesn’t care who it affects, it just goes through and does its thing. Lots of stuff to be fixed, lots of donations you see.”
Volunteers are packing a truck with emergency supplies ranging from diapers to food, destined for flood victims starting over.
Mark O’Brien, director of operations, said, “It’s just a tough road they have to go through, and we just want to be there and help support them in any way we can.”
Many say they cannot ignore the long road ahead for those impacted.
One donor said, “We’re just trying to make sure they get what they need as best they can and try to make their day a little brighter. They’ve gone through an awful lot, more than any of us can even imagine.”
Another donor added, “Losing all those beautiful lives and everything you own, your car, your house, your furniture your essentials for life, it’s just, everyone needs to help when they can.”
Strangers are showing up with carts full of supplies and open hearts to support the relief effort.
A donor shared, “We have our home, we have plenty of food to eat our children, our child is grown, we got grandchildren, we appreciate everything we’ve got. We just want to help people that don’t have everything we have right now.”
Organizers say this is just the beginning.
“It’s going to be a long haul and ongoing initiative to be able to get these people back in their homes or even new homes that they might not be able to go back to.”
Gleaning for the World says it will continue collecting donations tomorrow and hopes to send the truck to Texas by next week. To help: GFTW | International Non-Profit Humanitarian Relief Charity