GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As of early Monday afternoon, more than 60 people from Michigan were on the way or preparing to go to Texas to assist in Harvey relief efforts.
The Red Cross reports that some 6,000 people in Texas are being housed in temporary shelters set up by the organization. The need for aid is expected to remain for months.
On Monday, there were a constant flow of calls and drop-ins at the Red Cross’ West Michigan offices on Fuller Avenue in Grand Rapids.
“You can come up today and we can get you all set up,” a Red Cross staffer from AmeriCorp, Kelsey VanEyl-Godin, could be heard telling a caller.
“He wasn’t available yesterday but he’s available today,” she explained to 24 Hour News 8 after the call. “He wants to be sent out tomorrow.”
VanEyl-Godin said she had fielded several calls from people in West Michigan wanting to be deployed. For many, it won’t be the first time.
It’s a feeling the executive director of the West Michigan chapter of the Red Cross knows personally. Michael Mitchell has been deployed to more than two dozen disasters and is planning to head to Texas Wednesday.
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