Delmarvans chip in to help Harvey victims
Houston is over 1500 miles away, but Delmarvans are not letting the distance keep them from helping hurricane victims.
Erica Joseph, President of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore says, "We're not close geographically but as a community that knows the reality of these kinds of storms we want to be there for them."
Non-profits and civic leaders on Delmarva are springing into action to make sure Hurricane Harvey victims get the help they need. The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and the Town of Crisfield are collecting donations that will be given to agencies near the disaster zone to aid with relief efforts.
CFES has activated it's "Disaster Relief Fund." Donations made to that fund will be given to the Greater Houston Community Foundation's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.
"We'll be matching $5000 dollars and we hope the community can exceed that goal . . . but we've already committed and our board is supportive and we've committed that $5000," says Joseph.
Back in 2012, Crisfield was ravaged by Hurricane Sandy. Now in 2017, city leaders say they want to use an annual event to help out the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Crisfield Mayor Kim Lawson says it wasn't that long ago that his city was in the same position as Houston.
"We were decimated by Hurricane Sandy and as a result of that a tremendous amount of outpouring from faith-based communities government, everything came to this community," says Mayor Lawson.
City leaders are planning to use the 70th Annual National Hard Crab Derby, that starts Thursday and runs through the weekend, to collect money for relief efforts. They say it's their way of paying it forward.
"We'll take all pennies nickles dimes quarters and 50 dollar bills. The reality of the fact is, the fourth largest city in America which is Houston as well as towns in the gulf coast have been decimated," says Mayor Lawson.
Neither group has a limit on the amount of money they are looking to raise. But both hope the community will support their efforts and pitch in to help.
Anyone looking to donate to the Community Foundation can visit their website at CFES.org.
The National Hard Crab Derby runs from Thursday through Sunday at the Somers Cove Marina, donations are being accepted on site.
