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Any Gulf Coast folks?

Matata

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Arcadian

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@whitewave thanks for letting me know what happend. I agree its bad. thats wasteful. Unfortunately they can still get to places many can't. I give to local food banks first, or if I cant, give to salvation army.

Many moons ago in college I worked for salvation army (even though they're a christian group, they don't really give 2 sh&ts what you do in your off time, as long as you want to help and serve others)I didn't make a lot of money trust, but I was there to make a difference, and I did.

@Dee*Jay if we all gave the cost of a blanket, we could have this whole thing covered for a little while. it will take a village to get these people back on their feet. Well that and some serious aid. This is where I wish politicians would just be people, stop with the BS politicking, not be a sh&tbag and get these people back to some semblance of normality.
 

Gussie

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I have been so proud of the response of houstonians! People are helping each other. Volunteers with boats are rescuing people. Everyone they interview on the local news is relatively positive. No one is waiting for direction; they are taking charge to help their neighbors. Couldn't be more proud to be a Texan today.
 

Loves Vintage

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DeeJay - one of our local fire departments is accepting donations of supplies only, not cash. They are looking for socks, bottled water, food, baby formula, diapers, etc. They are personally driving the supplies down (from CT). I discovered this on Facebook, so maybe you'll come across something similar in coming days. Definitely feels a little more direct than donating $$ to a big organization and then wondering how that cash is ultimately spent, though I would not deter anyone from donating however and wherever they see fit.
 

Dee*Jay

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Thank you ALL for the info.

I made a donation through Amazon because they will match the funds, although it went to the Red Cross, and also to a local place (but no matching funds).

Good idea about the clothes; I'll look right now and see how to donate those.
 

Gussie

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I am going to make my donation to the JJ Watt hurricane relief fund. He is an outstanding citizen in Houston. He has already done so much for the city. He visits children's hospitals on a weekly basis and does not allow press. I trust his charities.
 

Arcadian

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So I was reading this morning that Harvey made a 2nd landfall. :cry2:Now its Louisiana's turn. My goodness...
 

Calliecake

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Today I'm calling one of the larger churches in our area that has drives set up to help relief efforts in the past,
 

elle_71125

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YadaYadaYada

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DeeJay - one of our local fire departments is accepting donations of supplies only, not cash. They are looking for socks, bottled water, food, baby formula, diapers, etc. They are personally driving the supplies down (from CT). I discovered this on Facebook, so maybe you'll come across something similar in coming days. Definitely feels a little more direct than donating $$ to a big organization and then wondering how that cash is ultimately spent, though I would not deter anyone from donating however and wherever they see fit.

Loves Vintage, I'm also in CT, do you know what fire departments are participating? I would like to send some donations if there is still the opportunity.
 

Loves Vintage

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Beacon Falls! Super small town. Looks like a few firefighters got together and started this, and they've already had some local news coverage. If you are on facebook, search for Beacon Hose. Not sure how close you are, but there are a few other collection locations set up too. I'm sure there will be more such collections starting up soon.
 

whitewave

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Our power just went out. Going to fire up the BBQ to make chili soon and have to get the generator up and running too. (We have 3 generators through not the built in kind). We have an electric stove and oven.
 

YadaYadaYada

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Thanks Loves Vintage! I love Beacon Falls, such a cute town. A little far from us but ironically as I opened the WFSB homepage this morning right on the front were placed collecting donations. The CT Science Center is one and we will probably be there this weekend.
 

whitewave

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Houston city on twitter retweeted no clothes donation. I'll have to find it.
 

Dee*Jay

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What a good guy. I REALLY wish I was in this area and needed some furniture.

(Link to article and pics: http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/30/us/gallery-furniture-store-houston-shelter/index.html)

Richmond, Texas (CNN)

David and Maria Parks sit for hours on a sofa, intently watching news footage of flooding in Houston. This couch is the only place they have left to go for now.

The Parks and about 300 other evacuees are taking refuge in the 160,000-square-foot showroom of the Gallery Furniture store just outside of Houston. The store's entrance is filled with neatly folded towels, shoes, clothes and toys donated by locals.
Owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale is known throughout the Houston area not only for his zany commercials but his generosity.

He tells CNN that he and his team took delivery trucks "that can get through the high water really easily" out to make rescues.

"All day on Sunday we went around rescuing people out of high water stranded on overpasses. We brought about 200 people into the store that way," McIngvale says.

The Gallery Furniture store's Grand Parkway location is listed as an official shelter location.
The Parks came to the store early Tuesday morning after a boat driven by good Samaritans picked them up from their home. Friends posted messages to rescue them on social media. Hours later, they arrived in the store's showroom.

The water was coming to the door when the Parks left their home. Throughout the day and into Wednesday they watch a livestream of local news on their cell phone, hoping for an aerial shot of their neighborhood to see if their home flooded after all.

"We didn't want to spend the night there, wondering what was gonna happen," David Parks says.

Sleeping soundly

The Parks and other evacuees have their pick of hundreds of brand new sofas to lounge on, and for as long as they want.

Christa Girtmann, 29, and Jacob Smith, 25, left their home in Rosenberg, Texas, as it flooded on Monday evening. By Tuesday afternoon they were curled up under the covers in a king-sized bed in the showroom.

Not far away, Gladys Dasi, 39, watches her 2-month-old son on a sofa set next to her. Her daughter, Elsie, 8, plays on a mattress with other children.

Sleeping soundly in the mattress room next to the evacuees are about 60 National Guard troops. They rest in between shifts of rescuing Houstonians from dangerous floodwaters.

"(The troops) are sleeping on the best Tempur-Pedic mattresses that are on the market," store employee Dave Marchione says. "And I'll tell you what -- those are some happy soldiers."

Beyond generous

Magdalena Marez, 27, and her fiancé Zachary Gasser, moved into their apartment a few months ago. They went furniture shopping at a handful of Houston-area stores, but they'd never stepped foot into a Gallery Furniture store until early Tuesday morning. They wandered in, soaking wet, just after evacuating from their apartment. Floodwaters were ankle deep, and they struggled to make the drive.

When they arrived at the showroom volunteers handed them dry clothes, toothbrushes, soap, shoes -- and a mattress still covered in plastic. Marez is moved by McIngvale's generosity.

"We never stepped foot in (one of his stores) and now I'm just like, wow, I mean, they opened up the doors. Like nothing. He didn't even second guess it," she says. "He was just like, 'Let me help you.'"

McIngvale is also paying for portable showers so evacuees can have their first hot shower in days.
Marchione, the employee, says his boss has opened the store to evacuees and is providing meals because it's his way of giving back to a community that has brought him success over the past 36 years.

"This is Houston," Marchione adds. "That's how Houston rolls."
 

Calliecake

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@Dee*Jay They interviewed Mattress Mack on CNN last night and Houston is so lucky to have this man. He said he sent his trucks out Sunday to look for people who needed help. They brought people back to stay in his stores. He also said he understood the love people have for their pets and welcomed their pets as well. The man has a heart of gold.

I found it unbelievable that a well known preacher in Houston had to be shamed into opening his church doors. His church holds 16,000. The man is worth 40 Million, lives in a 10 million dollar mansion and finally let people in on Tuesday afternoon.

So glad your power is back on @whitewave Hope you are staying safe @ceg. Thinking of you both.
 

Gussie

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@Dee*Jay They interviewed Mattress Mack on CNN last night and Houston is so lucky to have this man. He said he sent his trucks out Sunday to look for people who needed help. They brought people back to stay in his stores. He also said he understood the love people have for their pets and welcomed their pets as well. The man has a heart of gold.

I found it unbelievable that a well known preacher in Houston had to be shamed into opening his church doors. His church holds 16,000. The man is worth 40 Million, lives in a 10 million dollar mansion and finally let people in on Tuesday afternoon.

So glad your power is back on @whitewave Hope you are staying safe @ceg. Thinking of you both.

Mattress Mack is one of those tv guys who shouts about sales in his commercials - you know the type - oxiclean, infomercial excitement. BUT Mattress Mack rocks!!!! He is so awesome when bad things happen. Truly an angel in houston!

Not sure what I think about Joel Osteen. Anytime a church gets that big I suspect corruption. And I am not a cynical!
 

whitewave

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I think we are in the clear now. The kids are home, the dogs are using pee wee pads, the dishes are out of control, I have a headache and feel sick. I can't wait to get back to normal and I'm not even 1/100 of what the houston area is going through.
 

Gussie

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Hang in there @whitewave. We still have another family with kids and 2 dogs staying with us. My house looks like a tornado blew through it! And I am a complete neat freak. School is out until further notice, yikes!

Prayers for you and all in harvey 's path!
 

whitewave

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Hang in there @whitewave. We still have another family with kids and 2 dogs staying with us. My house looks like a tornado blew through it! And I am a complete neat freak. School is out until further notice, yikes!

Prayers for you and all in harvey 's path!

School is out tomorrow too!!! :(
 

whitewave

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@ceg how is it by you? Can you leave the house and is the water going down?
 

whitewave

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My kids should go back to school tomorrow.

Yikes! Mean girl fighting on facebook..... greeeeaaaat. She needs to go home.
 

Arcadian

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@ceg you are a nicer person than I'll ever be. I would be like "you need to go home honey.":lol: Thats some fifth grade BS.
 

Calliecake

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@ceg and @whitewave I'm so thankful you both are safe and dry.


@ceg. I'm sorry you are going thru this. All I can say is WOW. You have done one of the kindest things you could possibly do for a friend. I would think with everything going on in Houston that would be more than enough drama for one person to have in their lifetime. I'm sorry your friend feels the need to make more. Some people just can't help themselves and it sounds like your friend falls into this category. Ceg your heart is in the right place. Hopefully she will be able to go home quickly and you can leave her drama behind.
 
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Calliecake

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Yikes! Mean girl fighting on facebook..... greeeeaaaat. She needs to go home.[/QUOTE]

I think this woman needs to go to therapy!!! Who needs more drama than a hurricane???

Yay on the kids going back to school @whitewave
 

Gussie

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Thanks @Calliecake! I knew I just needed to say it out loud that it is bothering me. (Or write it!) It truly takes the power of it away if you do that.

I will get through this and be better for it, lol! Gotta love those opportunities for growth!
 
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