For people looking for another way to help those impacted by the flooding in the Houston region, Chabad-Lubavitch Center, Texas Regional Headquarters has created an Amazon Wish List with basic items that are desperately needed as supplies run out.
Naomi Bier, 28, has lived in Houston for the last five years. She left her apartment prior to the storm to wait it out with friends on higher ground and has since been spending her time volunteering at Chabad of Uptown, just up the street from where her friends live. Bier also leads the local chapter of CTeen (the Chabad teen network), and it was a WhatsApp group conversation with fellow CTeen leaders from around the country that yielded the “Chabad Harvey Amazon Wish List.”
“Teens want to get involved, but they want to actually contribute needed items,” says Bier. Among the requested materials are diapers, bleach, cleaning supplies and kosher snacks. Since first appearing last night, the link has been shared numerous times on Facebook and by word of mouth.
“The reaction has been amazing,” says Bier. “We’ve seen a substantial increase of donations on the Amazon page all day.”
Shipping services to Houston have not yet resumed, although there is hope that they will before the end of the week. Volunteers have been in touch with Amazon, which has said it is still waiting for a clear path into the city.
While food is of paramount concern in the short term, prolonged pantry items, snacks, hygiene products and cleaning supplies will be in crushing demand in the weeks ahead. By then, hopefully, box after box of Huggies Diapers, Gorilla tape, Tradition Instant Noodle Soup, Clorox High Performance Bleach and other wish list items will be arriving at Chabad’s doors for distribution.
“We’ve all been overwhelmed by people’s willingness to help,” says Bier. “We’re so thankful.”
To help fill their list, check out the Amazon.com page here.
Readers are also encouraged to donate to the international Chabad hurricane relief fund here.
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