GOOD Morning Wilton is compiling local, Wilton-based efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Here’s what we’ve found so far. Please email us information for any other events or local leads, and we’ll be happy to share it by adding it here. (Please note, we can only accept information via email.)
Bake Sale Thursday at Village Market/Americares Donation
Former Wilton resident, Melissa Jones, now lives in Katy, TX. She reached out to her Wilton friends Anne Cronin, Donna Savage and Kim Savvaides and they’re putting together a bake sale that will be manned by a group of eight, rising-7th grade girls, this Thursday, Aug. 31, from 12:30-3 p.m., in front of Village Market. All money raised will be donated to the Americares.org Harvey Relief Fund.
People who can’t come to the bake sale can consider making cash donations through that relief fund. Americares.org is a Stamford, CT-based organization that, according to the Americares’ site, will provide $200 in aid for every $10 donated, to support emergency medicine and supplies “Right now, Americares is in Texas, distributing water, aid and mobilizing medical outreach with our local partners.”
Wilton High School Varsity Cheerleaders to Collect Donations
The WHS varsity cheerleaders will be collecting donations from fans of both the Wilton Warriors and the Brien McMahon opponents on the opening game night for WHS varsity football, Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m., for those affected by the hurricane.
Cleanup Supplies and Items
Shannon MacDonald just moved to Wilton from Dallas a few short weeks ago. She has friends on the ground in Texas coordinating local relief efforts. There is an immediate need for several items that can be ordered on Amazon and shipped directly to MacDonald’s friend. The items include:
Non perishable food items
Black contractor trash bags
Work gloves
Box fans
Various sizes of shoes (many people evacuate with no shoes, clothes)
New underwear, undershirts, socks
Diapers, wipes, formula
Bleach
Pillows, blankets
Soap, deodorant, hygiene items
Bottled water
Send items to MacDonald’s friend, who is accepting deliveries and coordinating where they’re needed:
Susanna Blanchard
304 Stockport Dr.
League City, TX 77573
Or, if you’re on Facebook, look up MacDonald and send her a private message to coordinating dropping off items at her house here in Wilton, and she’ll help get it to Texas.
JoyRide Donating Portion of Saturday Sales
JoyRide Cycling + Fitness Studio has a Texas connection–there are two JoyRide studios in San Antonio, which missed the worst of the hurricane’s wrath by only a few miles.
This Saturday, Sept. 2, JoyRide is donating a portion of sales in all five Connecticut studios (JoyRide Wilton, JoyRide Darien, JoyRide Ridgefield, JoyRide Westport and JoyX in Westport) to Red Cross’ Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Saturdays are the studios’ busiest day.
Other places to consider donating:
All Hands is a non-profit ready to assist in response and recovery, and your donation will go towards helping affected communities.
Animal lovers can support the Houston Humane Society which is organizing care and shelter for pets in the area.
The Houston Food Bank is accepting donations to feed displaced families.
Relief organizations are being forced to choose between delivering food or bulky boxes of diapers, leaving parents of infants or some elderly people without a crucial resource. The Texas Diaper bank is helping to fill in that need – you can donate to them here.
For a longer list of resources to help, Texas Monthly has compiled a diverse list of housing, food and medical supply efforts.
The Houston Chronicle has also published a long list of places collecting donations that will go a long way