NATCHEZ — Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell said he wants his city to lend a helping hand to those devastated by Tropical Storm Harvey.

Through next week, the city along with the Natchez–Adams County Chamber of Commerce are collecting donations.

“We need diapers; we need formula for the babies; we need toiletries and other nonperishable items to send up there,” Grennell said.

Grennell also said bottled water, nonperishable food and cleaning supplies would make for great donations.

The hurricane turned tropical storm leveled and flooded Southeast Texas and parts of Southwest Louisiana with unprecedented amounts of rain, with Houston, Beaumont and Port Arthur bearing the brunt of the storm. The National Weather Service has said that parts of those areas received nearly 45 inches of rainfall during the storm. Though floodwaters have finally begun to recede, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters Wednesday the “worst is not yet over” for the Southeast region of his state.

The storm has forced thousands to shelters, and Houston faces many challenges going forward. That is why, Grennell said, any help Natchez residents can afford to give is instrumental.

“Whatever a person can spare (in order) to help,” Grennell said.

Grennell likened this situation to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when he saw Natchez residents “step up to the plate” to help those in need.

“We have wonderful, generous people here, and I saw that with Hurricane Katrina. Natchez residents stepped up to the plate and they helped those people who were in need.

“We’re just asking Natchez residents to do as they always do: to step up to the plate and provide those necessities that are needed (for the victims of Tropical Storm Harvey).”

Grennell said he plans to get a truck and ship the collections to a Houston shelter. He encouraged people to bring all items to the City Council Chambers building at 115 S. Pearl St.

Grennell said donations would be accepted through the end of next week.