A Richmond school collected a truckload of food, necessities and gift cards Tuesday to help flood-stricken B.C. residents and communities.
Riley Merrell, a teacher with Richmond Christian School (RCS), organized a flood relief donation truck to help those in the Fraser Valley who have been greatly impacted by the floods and landslides, which have blocked access to many necessities during the past week’s rain and wind storms.
“Hundreds of dollars’ worth of gift cards and all non-perishables were delivered to Archway Community Services in Abbotsford,” said Merrell, who was heading the donation. Warm clothing and rain gear were delivered to the Salvation Army.
“Both organizations are working tirelessly to support those directly affected by the floods and mudslides.”
Merrell told the Richmond News earlier this week that seeing the community act so fast to help each other out is nothing short of amazing.
The school hosted the event because they saw a lot of people outside the affected areas wanted to help but were unsure how to do so, he added.
“I’m so overwhelmed by how quickly people responded. In a time of crisis we often see people just wanting to help, and being able to provide the opportunity for the community to do so is a real blessing for me when I see the amount of people showing up,” said Merrell.
“It’s beautiful to see the community coming together and helping one another and at the same time it’s heart-breaking to hear the stories of those being affected.”
