Staff report
Many times, a disaster brings out the good in people. Businesses and individuals have been making contributions to the relief effort almost since the flood water began receding following Monday’s storm.
TXU Energy, Weber Aircraft Inc., Knight Furniture and Wal-Mart and a host of others have contributed funds to help residents get their lives back on track.
On Friday, TXU Energy made a $20,000 contribution to the Texoma American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund as well as a $5,000 contribution to the Salvation Army.
The donation to the Salvation Army is in the form of gas cards to provide gas to the mobile teams in the community providing emergency assistance to residents directly affected by the storms, according to a TXU press release.
The Red Cross donation is earmarked to help the organization replenish emergency supplies.
“We’re very thankful to TXU. That donation is going to help the American Red Cross provide financial assistance directly to those that were affected by the flood,” said Mark Loeffler, a spokesman for the American Red Cross said early Monday. “The American Red Cross survives on contributions by folks like TXU.”
Loeffler said the donation will be placed in the organization’s national fund and can be earmarked for the north Texas flood.
"The families of this community have been hit by devastating flooding and various losses." said Kelli Rod, director of TXU Energy community relations. “TXU Energy is committed to providing relief assistance and other emergency support to these residents during their time of need.”
According to the American Red Cross and the city of Gainesville, 577 homes were affected by the disaster. Nearly 400 homes and 91 businesses were damaged.
Loeffler said the shelter was host to roughly 30 people Sunday night. He said the organization had expected to see decreases in the numbers of displaced individuals who stayed at the Red Cross Shelter.
Since the flood the Red Cross has opened 344 assistance cases. The organization reports $27 million in damages to homes and businesses in the area. The Red Cross said it has provided 16,600 meals and snacks, 1,232 clean-up kits distributed and 670 comfort kits for individuals affected by the flood.
Loeffler said the Red Cross will be here as long as people need assistance.
"We're not going anywhere until the last person has been helped," said Mark Loeffler.
Loeffler said anyone who would like to make a contribution may do so by calling 1(800) Red Cross or by going to www.redcross.org.
As for as the wait for federal assistance goes, FEMA representative, Brad Crane said the agency finished with its assessments around 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening, touring areas such as Pecan Creek with Gainesville officials who “really knew their way around the city.”
Crane said the process seems slow at times and the organization does not submit statistics from each individual county to the president.
“We do not do just one county at a time,” Crane said. He said when the assessments of the approximately 8 counties affected by flooding are complete, the whole package will be submitted at once.
