Local businesses and organizations in Covington County are organizing relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, which has forced more than 30,000 to evacuate their homes.

 

Food, hygiene products

Upscale Salon and Spa, 23753 Hwy. 331 N., in Opp, is taking in non-perishable food items, as well as hygiene products, as donation from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until this Saturday.

Upscale will take its donations to the Second Chance Harvest food bank in Lafayette, La.

Utopia Salon and Spa in Andalusia started collecting non-perishable food items earlier this week, and will be accepting donations through Sat., Sept. 9, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a box for donations outside of its location at 997 S. Three Notch Street.

The donations will be taken to an Enterprise distribution center, then taken to Texas for the relief effort.

KD Cattle has opened its own distribution center in Opp.

Owner Dennis Busby said they were running out of space to store the non-perishable food items they had taken in as donations, so they opened up the building to allow room for more donations to be taken in.

KD Cattle provides a couple of different drop off spots, including the Andalusia Ford, Appliance One of Andalusia, Amerigas Propane of Opp, and Lake Mart Grocery of Opp, all during business hours.

Donations are currently being accepted now until Fri., Sept. 8, before volunteers will load up trucks to take to a food bank in southern Louisiana.

 

Travel-sized items

Outlaw Realty is also putting together a “Totes for Hope” donation.

The idea is to fill up a one-gallon Ziploc plastic bag with travel-sized items, like bandages, toothpaste/toothbrush, other hygiene items, decks of cards, flashlights with batteries, etc.

The “Totes for Hope” should be dropped off at 1800 E. Three Notch St. by Friday at 5 p.m.

 

Undies

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is organizing an effort to support social worker and writer Brene Brown, who on Wednesday issued a call for new (still in package) underwear. The church, located on East Three Notch, will collect underwear in all sizes for men, women, and children through Sunday, and will ship to Texas. There also is an Undies for Everyone online accepting contributions.

 

Cash

A number of state and national organzations are accepting cash donations for victims. Among them is the Alabama Baptist Convention. Contributions can be made online at sbdr.org/texas/.