By Patrick Baron
BLOOMINGTON – Following the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Midwest Food Bank and the Salvation Army are partnering up to send relief to the storm’s victims.
The two local organizations are coordinating an effort to send relief boxes full of food and supplies to the areas affected most. Midwest Food Bank Director of Communications Phil Hodel explained the collaboration helps coordinate the disaster relief.
“It is a very good partnership for both of us because we have the means to assemble the boxes and to get the food in them and they have the means of distributing them,” said Hodel. “So we get the boxes to the site and they take it from there and distribute it to those that are in need. We’re both very happy with the partnership.”
Midwest Food Bank is accepting non-perishable foods, baby supplies, and hygiene products to send to survivors of Harvey; monetary donations are also accepted. Hodel said four semi trucks filled with relief boxes have already been sent.
“We have sent four loads, four semi loads, down already. The first three went to Arlington, Texas, which is nearby Houston, but we weren’t able to get into the location there so the Salvation Army asked us to take it [to Arlington],” Hodel explained. “We did have one load now that was able to go into Houston.”
Hodel also said he anticipates relief efforts will continue for several months. The full list of items needed for relief boxes can be found at www.midwestfoodbank.org.
Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].
