Residents in Coles Crossing converted their community center into a donation center to serve local families with clothing, baby products, toiletries, food and cleaning supplies to accommodate needs following Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.
Karen McConaughey and Richele Bartkowiak led the project, which has served between 100-300 families from all across Cy-Fair and surrounding areas every day this week.
Volunteers gather to serve the community after Hurricane Harvey.[/caption]
McConaughey said her team has served more than just the Coles Crossing community, and all are welcome to pick up supplies or request to have them delivered. Individuals and families can fill out a work order with their needs, and volunteers will pack a box with those specific items.
Kroger Marketplace donated $15,000 worth of new clothing, Chick-fil-A has fed volunteers and Legacy paper products—owned by Coles Crossing resident Gary Messer—donated five pallets of supplies.
“Each day we ended exhausted physically but with full hearts,” McConaughey said. “We also reorganized each night to adapt to the needs we were seeing during the day.”
One mother was dropped off with a baby wrapped in her coat and three toddlers who had been walking behind her after being flooded out of their home, McConaughey said.
Within hours, the family had food, clothing and baby supplies. When volunteers learned one of the children would celebrate a birthday the following day, McConaughey said they picked up presents for each child at Learning Express and took up a cash donation to send the family to Chuck E. Cheese's.
“This wasn’t just something that happened to one neighbor or a few streets,” McConaughey said. “Harvey impacted thousands, and it was literally taking thousands to put it back together again.
Those in need can either pick up supplies at the Community Center or request supplies be delivered to them. Volunteers are still able to serve daily from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Barker Cypress and Jarvis roads in Cypress.
Volunteers gather to serve the community after Hurricane Harvey.[/caption]
McConaughey said her team has served more than just the Coles Crossing community, and all are welcome to pick up supplies or request to have them delivered. Individuals and families can fill out a work order with their needs, and volunteers will pack a box with those specific items.
Kroger Marketplace donated $15,000 worth of new clothing, Chick-fil-A has fed volunteers and Legacy paper products—owned by Coles Crossing resident Gary Messer—donated five pallets of supplies.
“Each day we ended exhausted physically but with full hearts,” McConaughey said. “We also reorganized each night to adapt to the needs we were seeing during the day.”
One mother was dropped off with a baby wrapped in her coat and three toddlers who had been walking behind her after being flooded out of their home, McConaughey said.
Within hours, the family had food, clothing and baby supplies. When volunteers learned one of the children would celebrate a birthday the following day, McConaughey said they picked up presents for each child at Learning Express and took up a cash donation to send the family to Chuck E. Cheese's.
“This wasn’t just something that happened to one neighbor or a few streets,” McConaughey said. “Harvey impacted thousands, and it was literally taking thousands to put it back together again.
Those in need can either pick up supplies at the Community Center or request supplies be delivered to them. Volunteers are still able to serve daily from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Barker Cypress and Jarvis roads in Cypress.
