In the weeks since Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast, and dumped a record-setting amount of rain on cities stretching from Corpus Christi to Houston to Port Arthur, the humanitarian response has been overwhelming and impressive.
For example, the North Texas nonprofit Trusted World, selected by Dallas County as the lone organization to handle the logistics of distributing donations meant to help evacuees and those impacted by Harvey, had to call for an end to donations within a matter of days because of the overwhelming response from the community.
“Due to the incredible generosity of both the North Texas area and the nation as a whole, we are now closing donations,” Trusted World noted on its website. “We want to thank all of you who donated during this time. Because of you, people affected by Hurricane Harvey will receive the supplies they need.”
Trusted World founder and CEO Michael Garrett said he has been impressed and the physical and emotional support so many people have offered.
“The emotional part is watching North Texas and the nation just show up and give,” he said. “We have had people driving in from New Jersey, California, from Wisconsin. They just want to give.”
Garrett oversees the daily operations of a massive 341,000-square foot warehouse in Garland, the floors of which are filled with donated items like diapers, bottled water, clothes and non-perishable food items as far as the eye can see.
The work to sort, divvy up and repack the donations for shipping is largely being done by volunteers, dozens of whom show up unannounced daily.
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“It is a common bond that unites us in a situation like this,” Garrett added. “It is a shame that it takes a disaster for that to happen to humanity, but we are watching it up close every single day.”
On Friday, the warehouse floor was alive with activity. In one section, much of the work was being carried out by the Endicott College Women’s Volleyball team from Beverly, Massachusetts. Seventeen players and two coaches were in Dallas for a weekend tournament.
“We hear all the news of what is going on up North. And then you walk in here and it’s just overwhelming,” said Assistant Coach Nicole Trudeau. “It’s an unbelievable undertaking.”
The Division III Gulls, who went undefeated in their three matches here in Dallas, spent their Friday morning sorting donated items prior to a match that evening.
“They can either lay by the pool or go on a tour or something like that, but this is something that is meaningful,” Trudeau said when asked about their volunteering effort. “It helps you as a team when you are facing setbacks on the court. It really brings it home to know there are setbacks and then there are real setbacks.”
Jose Torres is a volunteer who did not travel nearly as far as the volleyball players. The Cedar Hill resident has been at the Trusted World warehouse for a few hours nearly every day since the operation began.
“I wanted to volunteer. I was originally going to go south to Victoria, but I’m not much of a construction worker,” he said with a smile. “What I’ve done is logistics, distribution.”
With his expertise, Torres helped Trusted World design a system that helps to quickly and efficiently process bulk clothing items and get them out the door.
“The scale of this operation is super impressive. I mean it’s big time,” Torres said.
With as much work as there is that needs to be done, Garrett said Trusted World is in urgent need of many more volunteers. Those who are interested can click here.
