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Abilene Community Steps Up To Help Harvey Victims

(Joy Bonala/KACU) Al Alexandre packs donated supplies at the Grand Lodge of Texas August 30, 2017.
(Joy Bonala/KACU) Al Alexandre packs donated supplies at the Grand Lodge of Texas August 30, 2017.

Jeremy Leech wants to give back to the woman who saved his life.

“I got a kidney transplant on December 21 and my donor lives in Rockport,” Leech said. “Once the hurricane hit we knew we needed to help her in some way.”

He posted on social media about his efforts to collect donations and the response has been great. People have been dropping of donations at his business, J. Shea’s Jewelers in Abilene.

“We’ve got water, pet food, dog food, canned goods, blankets, cleaning supplies, peanut butter, gas cans and trolling motors,” Leech said.

His second load of supplies leaves Abilene Monday but his help doesn’t stop there.  

“If people don’t bring stuff by then, that’s not the end of it because people are going to be needing things for a long time,” Leech said.

He’ll send aid on a weekly basis for as long as it takes. And he’s working with Heather Cobb, she’s the daughter of his kidney donor. She said her parents’ home is still standing but it’s not safe.

“There’s no power, there’s no electric, there’s nothing so they’re going to camp out until the house is livable again,” Cobb said.

Cobb said people in her parent’s neighborhood have run out of food, they’re desperate for supplies. She said bigger areas like Houston get most of the attention from relief organizations while smaller areas are sometimes neglected.

“There’s a lot of little communities that aren’t getting help and that’s what we’re doing is taking all of these supplies to the little communities,” Cobb said.