Katy churches partner to distribute relief supplies after Hurricane Beryl
KATY, Texas - While more than a million homes still have no power, a day after Hurricane Beryl roared across Houston, that hardship helped bring the welcome sight of 'people helping people', in Katy, where there was some emergency assistance, right after the storm cleared out.
The word was spread on Facebook, that disaster relief supplies would be available to anyone who needed them at Katy's PowerHouse Church.
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"I knew that we had a lot of disaster relief supplies, and I figured they had plenty of food, so I gave them a call and said, 'What do you think about doing something?', and they said, 'We're on it'," described Marco Ruiz of the aid-group YAIPak Outreach.
It was welcome news, as dozens and dozens of vehicles lined-up, filled with people sharing similar stories.
"I don't have electricity in my house," says one man. "No electricity, no water. It's hard," says another.
To help ease the discomfort, everyone received a collection of food, milk, eggs, water, and cleaning supplies, packed by volunteers who left their own homes to help. All of it went into the grateful hands of people who could use it.
Lucas lined up, with his wife and two children, at 5 a.m., "We're able to get food right now, water, to feed the kids. It's a blessing."
The effort is an extension of Katy Christian Ministries food pantry program that's open every day, but was closed during the hurricane. On a normal day, the pantry has 140 clients, and the storm just made the need more pressing.
"We have about 250 to 300 cars, right now, waiting to get food," says KCM food pantry director Debbie McGilvra. "I'm sure there will be more coming in, later on."
On this day, the plan is to help everyone they can.
"When we're called to action, everybody gets together, and wants to help out," says Fernando Cruz, of PowerHouse Church. "That's the bigger picture, here, to help your brother out."
In the end, KCM reports it distributed more than 4,000 pounds of emergency supplies, and plans to resume normal food pantry operations on Wednesday to meet ongoing needs.