CLEVELAND — As Hurricane Ida cleanup continues down south, some northeast Ohioans are there assisting in multiple ways. However, there’s also some back at home trying to help their fellow men and woman from 1000 miles away.
“I guarantee, before today, they never heard of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. But I’m sure in the future, they’ll remember us,” says Cuyahoga Falls Mayor, Don Walters.
He’s trying to change the lives of those who desperately need it--from four states away. Walters says he is hopeful that the community will get behind him.
“This is an easy way to help out people down there that really need our help,” says Walters.
Mayor Walters is asking for the community’s help to, in essence, adopt a small place in Louisiana called Houma. The area includes a tribal territory ravaged by Hurricane Ida.
Walters says, “They’re devasted and still trying to assess why they start. There’s a million people in that area out of power and they estimate it’ll be over a month before they get power again. With that, there’s no water and no sewer.”
This isn’t the first time Cuyahoga Falls has helped a small community in need.
In fact, four years ago to the day, the community sent two truckloads of supplies to Humble, Texas where residents were dealing with the wreckage Hurricane Harvey left behind.
“We like to find a smaller city where we can really be a game-changer for them,” says Walters.
Meanwhile, the local Red Cross has 17 workers deployed down south, but 23 more in California dealing with wildfires and in Tennessee assisting with flooded areas. With so much devastation across the country, they’re also in need of help.
“The best way to help is to make a financial donation to the Red Cross,” says American Red Cross Regional Communications Director, Jim McIntyre. “We can take that money and bring it to the specific community affected, buying what is needed at the time, right away.”
These are just two of the ways Northeast Ohioians are helping to lift people up in their time of need.
If you’d like to contribute to Cuyahoga Fall’s community adoption, click here. To donate to the American Red Cross and their efforts, click here.
Both Walters and McIntyre say, even a little bit, goes a long way.
“Even $10 dollars will provide enough money for 2 blankets,” says McIntyre.
Walters says, “If it’s $5 or $10 dollars, that all adds up, because they’re really devastated at this time. It’s really sad.”
Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a previously published, related story.