A Lot of a Little is a Lot

My firm is doing a food drive for those affected by Hurricane Ike, so after dinner I went for a relaxing stroll through the aisles of our nearby grocery store. I enjoy picking out items for charity drives. Last summer the firm did one for Austin's animal shelter and I spent thirty minutes in Target picking out special dog toys and treats. When I dropped them off our marketing woman was surprised at the full bag, she said most people were just donating their $5 minimum to get to wear jeans on Friday. This week we get to wear jeans on Thursday AND Friday if we bring in two nonperishable items to be sent down to Houston. I decided that rather than pulling a few unwanted things out of my pantry, I'd pick out things that I'd be excited to see in a supply truck - creamy peanut butter, my favorite strawberry frosted pop-tarts (and not the cheaper, less-bendy store brand I make my little family eat), crunchy granola bars, Landon's favorite baby foods, and cat food (not my favorite treat, but I worry most people donating forget about the fact people have pets to feed too!). I know it still isn't much, especially considering the destruction some people are facing, but hopefully a bright blue box of brand name pop-tarts will make someone smile, however briefly.

I've now heard from almost everyone I know in Houston. All are fine in body, though many are heavy at heart. One good friend with an adorable 2-year old girl had a tree fall on the cute little house she and her husband had just purchased. There's now a huge crack across one room's ceiling, four holes in her roof, and water damage in every room - the house has been declared uninhabitable and will need to be gutted and rebuilt. The destruction in Galveston and other areas is heartbreaking and will take months to repair. Luckily there are a few bright spots- just as happens in most disasters, people get motivated to come together and help one another. My mom has told me about neighbors with chain saws driving around asking if anyone needed help cutting down and moving trees or branches, the church made sure someone stopped by every member's home to check on them and offer up the building for people who need time with electricity or internet, my firm's Houston office opened up the courtroom for kids home from school and missing TV and electricity, and so much more. There are good people out there rounding up and rescuing horses, cattle, dogs, cats, and other animals abandoned or lost during the storm (there's nothing like an animal rescue story to make me cry at work). I hope people continue to reach out and help one another and that recovery crews are able to working to restore power, water, and roads quickly. I know there are lots of places to donate, especially Houston area food banks and animal shelters. It never needs to be much, a lot of a little can make a big difference!