AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY, LEAD ORGANIZES A DONATION DRIVES
By Isabella LaMagdeleine, Staff Writer
Mason students from the Leadership Education and Development office (LEAD) organized a collection drive to send relief supplies to the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
The storm wreaked havoc in Texas and Louisiana, causing an estimated $23 billion worth of damages to property in Texas, according to CNBC’s article published on Aug. 31, “Harvey moves inland, leaves trail of destruction in Texas.” Harvey is one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history.
As survivors began to rebuild in the aftermath, and while Hurricane Irma began to ravage Florida, many people around the country came together to support the communities hit hardest by the storm.
Through the LEAD office, students around campus have been hard at work supporting people who have been hurt by Hurricane Harvey by collecting critically needed goods.
Nick Lennon, the director of LEAD, said, “People want to help, but don’t know what to do. Resources can be given that aren’t actually helpful to the ones that need the help. In these sorts of collections, we can get items that are truly needed to the people that urgently have to have them.”
More than 1,000 bottles of water, 200 diapers, 250 rolls of toilet paper and dozens of tissue boxes were collected in the collection drive, which ended last Thursday. These are items that the Federal Emergency Management Agency expressed the most need for at this time – items that are among the most basic are also among the most crucial for daily life and functions.
LEAD partnered with the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Fairfax office and the Victory Van Corporation in their relief efforts. Two 53’ long trailers full of collected goods are currently being transported to Texas, where the supplies will be distributed to those most in need.
More information on how to best support the relief efforts are available on masongivesback.onmason.com/hurricane-harvey/
Photos by Christine Viray + Michelle Gardner
