Two suburban companies collect supplies for hurricane victims
Two suburban companies are teaming up to collect bottled water, clothes, baby diapers, pet food and other essential supplies for Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas.
Paws In Time - a dog training, grooming and boarding operation with facilities in West Chicago and Oswego - is working with Lincolnshire-based Camping World on the relief effort.
Supplies can be dropped off at the Camping World store at 4450 Darrell Road in Island Lake or in the lobbies of both Paws In Time centers. They're at: 1891 E. Fabyan Parkway, West Chicago; and 456 Treasure Drive, Oswego.
Paws In Time employees will deliver items they receive to Camping World, where workers will load everything onto trucks headed to Texas. Owner Julie Nelson said she initially considered personally taking donations to Texas. But after Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis announced on Facebook that his organization would be sending aid, Nelson reached out to the company and offered to assist.
"We're thousands of miles away, but whatever we can do to help, I want to do it," Nelson said.
Water, nonperishable food, clothing for adults and kids, diapers, baby formula, toiletries and batteries are among the needed items. Organizers also are requesting canned dog and cat food, leashes and collars, dog and cat treats and clumping cat litter.
A Camping World representative on Tuesday said the business is expecting truckloads of donations from local businesses.
Organizers haven't set a deadline for donations, nor have they determined when they will drive the supplies to Texas.
Additionally, Camping World will match any financial donations it or Paws In Time receives for the American Red Cross through Sept. 4, up to $2 million.
How to help
• Red Cross is accepting donations at <a href="https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey?campname=Harvey&campmedium=aspot">redcross.org</a> or by texting "Harvey" to 90999.
• Global Giving Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has set a $2 million donation goal at <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-harvey-relief-fund/">globalgiving.org</a>.
• United Way Houston Chapter is accepting donations at <a href="https://www.unitedwayhouston.org/flood/flood-donation/">unitedwayhouston.org/flood/flood-donation/</a>.
• SPCA of Texas is coordinating pet evacuations and accepting donations at <a href="https://spca.org/give">spca.org/give</a>.
• GOFUNDME is grouping Harvey related causes at <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/hurricaneharvey">gofundme.com/hurricaneharvey</a>.
• The Salvation Army is collecting donations at <a href="https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app362b?idb=527205110&df_id=27651&mfc_pref=T&27651.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=3C7B405C4EB5790D4BC28E9211598F8B&utm_campaign=Texas%20Hurricane&utm_medium=banner&cm_mc_sid_51410000=1503955784&cm_mc_uid=79933398744515039557849">salarmychicago.org</a>, by telephone at (800) 725-2769 or by texting "STORM" to 51555.
• Jewish Federation Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund at <a href="https://donate.juf.org/HurricaneHarvey">juf.org/HurricaneHarvey</a>.
• Paws In Time is collecting donations for humans and pets at its two locations at 456 Treasure Drive in Oswego and 1891 E. Fabyan Parkway in West Chicago.
• Embrace Relief is launching a Harvey relief campaign at <a href="http://embracerelief.org/harvey/">embracerelief.org/harvey/</a>.
• The David Agency Insurance in Elmhurst is collecting clothing and personal items to ship by truck to Texas by the end of this week. Items should be brought between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. by Sept. 1 to the agency's Elmhurst office at 385 N. York Road. Donations of empty shipping boxes also are needed.
• The city of Naperville and the advisory board of the Chicago Salvation Army are hosting a meeting at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Naperville municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St., to discuss how to help after Harvey, how to begin long-term relief efforts and how to avoid scams.