For Red Cross, relief is ongoing

HARLINGEN — The supplies keep rolling in as fast as they are being sent out to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” said Danella Hughes, South Texas American Red Cross executive director.

“It’s comforting to know there are people down south who care and are sending them supplies.”

According to Hughes, the most recent shipment of supplies from the Harlingen Red Cross facility near Stuart Place went to the victims in Rockport.

More supplies were sent to the Coastal Bend area.

“We send a semi every other day and we send cargo vans in the afternoons,” Hughes said. “Every time we ship, we get more.”

She said because of local donations, seven semi trailers full of water, food and supplies have been sent since the recovery effort began last week.

She said she is very proud to say that South Texans and Valley residents have been so giving.

“The outpouring has been phenomenal,” Hughes said. “We are literally feeding the entire state of Texas.”

She said at least 70,000 people are still in the Red Cross shelters who were displaced after the storm.

“We are looking at sheltering and feeding all the way through Christmas,” Hughes said. “The rebuilding is probably going to take a solid five years.”

She called the effort to help the victims of Harvey a revolving circle.

Daily, the Red Cross is receiving water, food and supplies to be transported to those in need.

She said the Food Bank has so much, the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross is working overtime to make sure all the supplies are sent where needed.

“Every day, a brand new person says we did a drive for you, when can we drop it off?” Hughes said. “They are doing it all on their own.

“We are a great example of Texans helping Texans,” Hughes said. “To know that every bottle of water donated, every dollar donated, every canned good is going to go to the victims of Hurricane Harvey in the State of Texas.”