Desert residents helping Harvey survivors in Texas

Maggie Lockridge with Rebuilding America’s Warriors and former Dodgers announcer Ron Fairly just got back to Rancho Mirage Thursday after spending time in Houston helping those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Both made the 29-hour drive from California to Texas with clothing and supplies by the truckload.

“Driving in, we started seeing the floods just on the outskirts,” Lockridge said. “First, it was just residual water. Then, it was more and more flooding of fields. And there was a park underwater. Then you could see the housing, and you can see the water marks halfway up the houses. And the streets were still flooded.

They got a first-hand look at the storm’s devastation.

“I noticed there was some debris still lodged in trees and bushes, as we entered town,” Fairly said. “We ran across a small cotton farm, that had debris spread out all over it including sheet metal. Large sheet metal sections.”

Others who helped included Kasandra Rocha with Operation Harvey, helping collect food and other supplies at Food 4 Less in Cathedral City for a cause she said that hits close.

“Having a cousin on Facebook saying they’re looking for water is horrible,” Rocha said. “I’ve seen people on the news with babies who don’t have enough formula, and have nothing out there now.”

While helping those affected by Harvey in Texas, other local organizations like the Salvation Army say they already are planning to send additional emergency vehicles and staff down to Florida in preparation for Hurricane Irma.

“It’s frightening what Irma might do, conceivably down in the Florida area, and along the coast and possibly up to the Carolinas,” Kristina Starkey, Donor Relations Director for Salvation Army Inland Empire said. “We want to get a heads up and a leg up in getting our emergency response vehicles down there to help as many people as we possibly can.”

Starkey said the Salvation Army is accepting monetary donations to help those affected by both Harvey and Irma.

To donate by phone, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or send a text to STORM at 51555.