Massive cleanup efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
Volunteers and organizations from North Texas are on the ground in Florida. At home, a local business owner has raised thousands of dollars for hurricane victims.
Leon Brown, of Lancaster, is the driving force behind a social media mission to help victims of Hurricane Ian.
“If you look around my shop, shelves are empty, and the racks don’t have clothes on them. People have been coming through,” said Brown, founder of We Are the Help.
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His nearly 90,000 Instagram followers have helped raise $10,000 for 100 Florida families.
“One family, Bree and Marcus Smith stopped by from Fort Myers, Florida. They were heading to El Paso, and they were able to stop inside here and get some clothes. That’s the family we were able to bless with $500,” said Brown.
Bree and Marcus Smith spoke to NBC 5 about the generosity they experienced on their drive from Florida to Texas, where they’re now staying with friends.
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“That was a blessing. We were able to get down to El Paso, and that was able to cover food and gas for us,” said Bree Smith.
Their Fort Myers home is flooded, and they don’t yet know the extent of the damage.
The couple is grateful they could reach out online, and receive help from Leon just when they needed it most.
“My message is: Allow people to help. Put your pride aside, because this is the time that we all need to lean on each other,” said Bree Smith.
If you’d like to drop off clothing for Hurricane Ian victims stopping by -- or the consignment shop’s year-round mission to help local families -- you’re asked first to call Leon Brown at the store to schedule a drop-off time and day at 510-754-8880
