Community food drive underway right now to help victims of Harvey
Published at | Updated at
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.
Due to the overwhelming response from the community, Melaleuca has decided to send a second semi-truck full of donations and Melaleuca products to the Texas.
One truck is already full and donations are being accepted until 6:30 p.m. to fill the second truck.
ORIGINAL STORY
IDAHO FALLS — Thousands of starving men, women and children in Texas are in desperate need of food following Hurricane Harvey and Melaleuca has announced plans to collect food donations that will be delivered to the area immediately.
Melaleuca is holding a community food drive today, Aug. 31, with the intention of filling an entire semi-truck full of items. Two drivers will leave Idaho Falls tonight and drive the 1,500 miles straight to the Houston area where donations will be dropped off at evacuation centers.
Shelter volunteers in Texas are requesting the following ready-to-eat, non-perishable items that do not have an expiration date before Dec. 1, 2017:
— Canned fruit
— Granola bars
— Snack bars
— Crackers
— Chips
— Paper plates
— Paper towels
— Plastic cups
— Juice boxes
— Juice bottles
Shelters do not have stoves or refrigeration units so food that cannot be immediately eaten will not be accepted.
Large donations of bottled water, clothing, toiletries and other items have already arrived at emergency shelters and are not needed.
The American Red Cross has already requested a large amount of snack bars and sunscreen from Melaleuca that will be delivered to 9,000 people waiting in the Houston Convention Center Thursday.
Melaleuca employees will spend today sorting and packing donations onto pallets before the truck departs for Texas around 7:30 p.m.
It’s estimated that over 30,000 people have been forced from their homes and multiple shelters have opened in several Houston communities to care for those in need.
PLEASE DONATE FOOD HERE
WHERE: Donations will be accepted at the Melaleuca Distribution Center next to Melaleuca Global Headquarters (4777 West 65th South).
You will see a large Melaleuca semi-truck parked in parking lot.
WHEN: 8 a.m. — 6 p.m. today
WHO: Everyone is invited to donate.
