Americans come together to help recover after Hurricane Harvey

[the game]

Everyone here likes to talk about how bad the US is but nobody ever wants to talk about the good things about Americans. More importantly the way we come together to help eachother in times of need. People all over the US is coming together and donating clothes, food, blankets, pet food, shelter. People will help to rebuild Texas.

I know where I live many companies are loading trailers with donated food and stuff. I think I've seen around 4 or 5 trailers being loaded up and shipped to texas. I've donated a couple of totes full of my old clothes that I don't wear anymore to send down there.

On Friday, August 25, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Southern Texas as a Category 4 storm, leaving in its wake unprecedented damage and chaos. To make matters worse, the storm lingered around for days, dumping almost 52-inches of rain, breaking a 50-year record for tropical cyclone rainfall measured in a single place in the US.
The torrential downpour has caused extensive flooding in Houston, forcing more than 32,000 residents into shelters. Thousands more have moved in with friends and relatives. Flooding on the Neches River has damaged the nearby Beaumont city’s water utility system, leaving its 120,000 residents with no running water. Things are no better in Port Arthur, where all of the town’s 20,000 residences have sustained water damage.
The only silver lining is that disasters like these seem to unite people, making them forget all their differences and grudges, at least for a short period of time. While the number of organizations and individuals that have gone all out to assist the victims of Hurricane Harvey are too numerous to list, here are some highlights of the outpouring of support that has made headlines this past week.

A week ago, on Sunday, August 27, NFL player JJ Watt set up a crowdfunding page with a goal to raise $200,000. As of September 3, the football defensive end for the Houston Texans has garnered over $18 million, including a million from television talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and the donations keep pouring in. The thrilled football star wants to ensure the money is used where needed, saying, “We’re trying to make sure it goes directly to the people. So our first wave of operation is we’ll have nine semi-trucks going out there and my teammates and I will go straight into the communities and hand stuff out there. And then beyond that, it's about making sure to do it right. … So I want to make sure I take the time to do it right, for the people who donated and for all the people of Houston.”
On September 1, tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, launched the Rebuild Texas Fund, to assist with immediate relief efforts, as well as long-term recovery and rebuilding. In addition to a $17 million starting contribution, the philanthropists have pledged to add $1 for every $2 donated for the first $36 million raised.
Corporations are also striving to alleviate the suffering Harvey caused. Japanese car manufacturer Toyota is donating pre-owned vehicles to assist in relocating people and belongings. Healthcare company Abbot, will be donating up to $100,000 worth of medical and nutrition products, while Coca-Cola has given away 25,000 cases of water, milk, and other beverages, with more to come in the days ahead. To assist in the cleanup efforts and ensure affected areas have access to proper supplies, Home Depot plans to dispatch its Team Depot volunteer members. Even Mexico, which shares a border with Texas, has offered to send in rescue troops, food, water, medicine and portable showers.

Ordinary individuals are not shying away from helping either. On Monday, August 28, Houston resident Jim McIngvale, or “Mattress Mack,” who owns and operates the Gallery Furniture retail chain of stores, announced on social media that he was turning his two 100,000 square-foot flood-proof warehouses into shelters. By evening, over 400 displaced residents had taken up his generous offer, and many still remain there.
When asked if he is concerned about ruining the new bedroom sets, recliners, mattresses and other furniture that are being used by those living there, the philanthropist quipped, "We’ll have a Harvey floor model sale, or something. I’ll come up with some shtick." He then added, "These people are nice. They’re taking care of the furniture. Furniture’s made to be sat on, slept on, laid on, whatever. It's just a product. It ain't gonna hurt it."
This is not the first time “Mattress Mack” has stepped up to help those in need. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the big-hearted man dispatched his furniture trucks to evacuate over 200 residents and extended them similar hospitality.

Ordinary individuals are not shying away from helping either. On Monday, August 28, Houston resident Jim McIngvale, or “Mattress Mack,” who owns and operates the Gallery Furniture retail chain of stores, announced on social media that he was turning his two 100,000 square-foot flood-proof warehouses into shelters. By evening, over 400 displaced residents had taken up his generous offer, and many still remain there.
When asked if he is concerned about ruining the new bedroom sets, recliners, mattresses and other furniture that are being used by those living there, the philanthropist quipped, "We’ll have a Harvey floor model sale, or something. I’ll come up with some shtick." He then added, "These people are nice. They’re taking care of the furniture. Furniture’s made to be sat on, slept on, laid on, whatever. It's just a product. It ain't gonna hurt it."
This is not the first time “Mattress Mack” has stepped up to help those in need. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the big-hearted man dispatched his furniture trucks to evacuate over 200 residents and extended them similar hospitality.

https://www.dogonews.com/2017/9/3/am...l-after-harvey

[PC2]

Great point. The media likes to pretend that there's a lot of conflict while ignoring all the constructive teamwork.

[TwistedSkull]

@mayhem008 will you be donating to Puerto Rico aswel?

[Cruor]

Don't you feel filthy, knowing this is pretty much just socialism?

Here in the EU we do that on a constant basis and don't wait until people get ravaged by natural disasters before we give them aid.

Well gee, that was quick, first post bashes his positive comment toward the USA. If you hate us so much stop playing our video game, WoW. Stop buying Intel and nvidia etc. Stop watching our movies, and don't cry when we disband NATO and laugh as Russa invades. Socialism doesn't work. There is nothing wrong with helping people in REAL need once in a blue moon. There is a huge problem with paying for some worthless bum for life to sit home and play video games because they stubbed their pinky toe or are "nervous" around other people.

[Deleted]

It's absolutely great that people come together after something bad happens, but wouldn't it be even greater if people came together to prevent bad things?

[Doctor Amadeus]

Nah people didn't come together, people acted out of their own self interest there is a difference. I am sure some horror stories are being glossed over atm.

[TwistedSkull]

It's absolutely great that people come together after something bad happens, but wouldn't it be even greater if people came together to prevent bad things?

Are you hinting at something perticular?

[The Stormbringer]

Well gee, that was quick, first post bashes his positive comment toward the USA. If you hate us so much stop playing our video game, WoW. Stop buying Intel and nvidia etc. Stop watching our movies, and don't cry when we disband NATO and laugh as Russa invades. Socialism doesn't work. There is nothing wrong with helping people in REAL need once in a blue moon. There is a huge problem with paying for some worthless bum for life to sit home and play video games because they stubbed their pinky toe or are "nervous" around other people.

I see it as less bashing the USA and more bashing hyper paranoid socialism-phobia types. Though it was definitely rude towards the USA.

[Deleted]

You have to hope lessons have been learned from other disasters.

Aid is famously slow to arrive and chaotically distributed.

If you remember back to Andrew lots of things went very wrong. The Army made a tent city, but no one went to it (because they were worried about people looting/waiting for in insurance people/the army was only letting people bring 3 suitcases worth of stuff). So they were empty.

What clothes did you send, because last time (Andrew) people were sending wooly kids dresses, cardigans and other items not suited for Florida in summer, which were then strewn around the fields. You'd assume Texas in summer is the same right?

The problem is people are keen to show frantic symbolic activity, reguardless of its effectiveness.

They should put the Red Cross in charge if they have learnt anything because after Andrew all you had was the NG, City and Army passing the buck to eachother when it came to relief.

I'm dubious that any lessons have been learned.

[Kaleredar]

Well it's good that people are banding together to help one another.

Lord knows trump wasn't going to. that token million dollars he kicked in might repair all of the damaged bus benches and traffic signs in the area, though.

[Najnaj]

If you donate items you should not tap yourself on the back too much. It is very expensive to get to places and half the donated items can not be used as people use donations to "donate" stuff they were about to throw away...and should have thrown away.

I did a little volunteering at a food bank and the shit people donate just makes your blood boil. Stuff like half empty containers of baby formula well beyond its best before date was not uncommon. Not only was it unusable but we had to pay to have the garbage removed. Charity stores commonly need to throw away half of their donations due to people giving them items that are too worn to be sold or used.

If you really care, donate money to a reputable aid organization that is active in the area. Red Cross is almost always a safe bet and even as an atheist I would be hard pressed to say anything negative about the Salvation Army.

[Skulltaker]

It is amiable how well the citizens of the US respond to this catastrophe, but I tend to judge a civilization by how it acts in times of peace, not times of need. Nobody says you cannot be nice. But does it really take a hurricane to bring out the best and all of your positive potential?

[Deleted]

The fact you need to brag about it tells you are a petty person. In general the average joe will always help people as long it doesn't fuck with their own circumstances.

People aren't bad in wealthy areas...

[Mittens]

Helping people is not socialism. And jolly gee nothing makes my day better than northern europeans triggered over uplifting news.

[Independent voter]

Tae the Truth helping out in South Houston, bringing food and water to jail inmates even.



Some lady singing in a shelter, knocking it out even with bad acoustics and a crappy smartphone mic.