Help your flooded Bellaire neighbors by donating cleaning supplies — or your time

By Charlotte Aguilar
One tapped on a laptop keyboard, the others on the screens of their cell phones — an adorable youngster studied Spanish on a tablet. This was the core group of dedicated volunteers seated at tables in a room at the closed city rec center, wanting to make a difference to flood victims in Bellaire launching cleanup effort via social media — and you can help with donations of cleaning supplies or by devoting a few hours of your time.
Donations can be dropped off at the Bellaire Recreation Center, 7008 Fifth St., from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Needed items include bleach, mops, buckets, spray bottles, cloth and paper towels, cleaning gloves, face masks, boxes, box cutters, packing tape, contractor-strength trash bags, and tarps.
Volunteers are needed to accept the donations and to help clean, and residents needing help cleaning up their property or homes are also being sought.
While Bellaire’s staff housed at the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall focuses its efforts on flood recovery and relief, the city has provided space at the Rec Center for this volunteer effort. “We know that so many of you are wanting to help your neighbors in need that manpower isn’t going to be a problem,” said Mayor Andrew Friedberg.
Anyone wanting to help or needing help should email the group at BellaireHarveyVolunteers@gmail.com. Those needing assistance should provide their address, whether they want volunteers to visit, specific cleaning needs, and any other needs, including food, clothing or temporary housing.
And get in the spirit of the effort: Pass this link along on your Facebook or Twitter accounts or by email to your contact list.