AUSTIN, Texas — Families in Lake Travis spent this Labor Day weekend helping communities hit by Hurricane Ida.
Dottie Stevenson and her husband lived in New Orleans for many years and raised their children there. They live in Lake Travis now, but when the hurricane devastated their community, Stevenson needed to help.
She recruited friends and family to help her organize a three-day donation drive, collecting hundreds of items to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.
"We have had hurricanes and I know what it is like. When Katrina happened, I took up collections for Katrina victims," Stevenson said.
Donations included items like food, paper towels, baby food and diapers, toiletries, candles and batteries and lawn supplies.
Gina Provopulos is a Lake Travis resident who helped organize the drive, solidifying the donation site and recruiting volunteers. She said the turnout was above and beyond what they anticipated.
"It is so wonderful to see that carloads of that cute little kiddos getting out and carrying items over, happy to help. We're just really impressed, and our heart is full with the turnout we received here in the Lake Travis area," Provopulos said.
In addition to the donations from families in the community, Home Depot also donated tarps, gloves and shovels to send to New Orleans, according to Brooke Stevenson, Dottie Stevenson's daughter.
The Austin chapter of Caring for Cambodia also stepped in to help, paying for a UHaul and gas to help transport the donations to Louisiana on Tuesday.
While this is not the first or last time this community plans to help when neighboring areas need it, Stevenson said the turnout this weekend just solidified the good in people.
"They jump in wherever it is needed. Where there is a catastrophe, a crisis, they are there to help," she said.
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