Editorial: Everyone can help Houston overcome Harvey

Homegrown Illinois residents don't know what living through a hurricane is like. And we certainly haven't been faced with a historic 50-inch rainfall.

But flooded homes and streets are fresh in the minds of many in the suburban Chicago area and just as they were helped to recover, they want to help their Texas counterparts.

It's a heartwarming response to an ongoing catastrophic situation for those in Houston and other area of Texas. It's paying forward what was done for those who suffered the flooding of the Fox and Des Plaines rivers this summer.

"It's hard work, but the work isn't the important part. The important part is the love that we bring to people in their time of need. That's what it's all about," said Chaplain Ric Worshill of the Crossroads Community Church in Port Barrington.

As Daily Herald staff writer Jamie Sotonoff reported Tuesday, Worshill is part of a group of volunteers from Lake County who will head to Texas to help people in the cleanup from Hurricane Harvey. They will be returning the favor of more than two dozen Texans from the Southern Baptist District Relief group who have spent most of August volunteering in Lake County, helping victims from July's floods.

Given the reports out of Texas, this cleanup will take lots of time, money and volunteers. Both the Texas volunteers and the Illinois contingent are heroes, especially to those families that they are helping.

"It saves (the flood victims) a lot of money and then the insurance company is more likely to help them put it back together," Worshill said.

There are so many ways suburban residents can help. The American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois has sent 10 volunteers to Texas and they expect that number to grow.

"We're looking for people who have managed shelters, health care workers, people who know logistics ..." spokeswoman Joy Squier said. "We're continuing to recruit. This is going to be a marathon, so we will be sending volunteers for the next several weeks and months."

And if you can't volunteer to travel to Texas (redcross.org/volunteer) please consider contributing money to assist in the cause.

The Red Cross, Global Giving, United Way, Salvation Army, Jewish Federation and Paws in Time are all taking donations specifically to help Hurricane Harvey victims.

Please count your blessings for what you have here at home and do your part for your fellow Americans in need.