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NATCHEZ — Residents of the Miss-Lou who want to help the people whose lives were changed forever last week during Hurricane Helene have the opportunity to participate in a grassroots relief effort right here at home.

The City of Natchez, the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce, Listen Up Y’all Media and The Natchez Democrat have teamed up for Hurricane Helene Relief Supply Drive.

 

Donations will be delivered to a community director in the rural town of Lansing, North Carolina.

“The town is about an hour drive northeast of Boone, North Carolina. The town of Lansing, which is in a beautiful mountain valley, was flooded when the Big Horse Creek grew from about a 30 foot wide stream to about a 200-yard wide raging river that flooded all of the businesses and homes in its path,” said Margaret Perkins, president and CEO of Listen Up Y’all Media.

“The businesses and post office saw 10 foot deep water in the buildings. The buildings are being gutted and cleaned from the mud and debris. Any inventory of the businesses either floated away or is ruined,” she said.

Miss-Lou residents can donate to the supply drive in several ways, including sending cash or a check to the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce, 211 Main St., Natchez, MS 39120.

Soon, a Venmo QR code will be available and promoted on the Facebook pages and websites of Listen Up Y’all Media and The Natchez Democrat, as well as on the city’s and chamber’s Facebook pages. If you use this route to donate, please make a note on the donation — Donation to Hurricane Relief.

“The cash donated will be spent locally in Natchez to purchase items that will be delivered to Lansing,” Perkins said.

Those who prefer to purchase and donate physical items may deliver them to Total Storage (the old Kmart building in Natchez) next to The Markets on John R. Junkin Drive.

Enter through the old entry doors to Kmart on the right end of the buildings.

Items can be brought there beginning Tuesday and continuing through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here is a list of items most needed by residents there:

Personal items

Hand Soap/hand sanitizer/hand wipes; Shower Supplies (shampoo/Conditioner/bodywash); Toothpaste/Toothbrushes; Brooms; Mops; Dust Pans; Squeegee; Wet/Dry Swiffer; Bleach/Cleaning Supplies; Gloves; Buckets; Paper towels; Non-perishable foods; Water Flavor Packets; Energy drinks; Electrolyte powder; Paper plates/Plasticware-salt and pepper in packets if able; Protein bars; Individually wrapped snacks, crackers, chips, cookies, granola bars, etc.; Manual can opener; Tote bags/ bins for transport; Batteries all sizes; Battery banks; Collapsible coolers; Gallon water jugs; and Water, water, water!

Clothing

Socks (new); Pull-ups; Children and Adult Diapers; Bedding and pillows, blankets; Bath Towels/Washcloths; Cots or air mattresses; Winter clothing for men, women, and children (think mountain cold!); Winter Underclothes; and Boots, gloves, scarves, hats.

Construction materials

Trash Bags-13 Gallon and Contractor Bags; Plastic Sheeting/Tarps; Gas Cans; Heavy Duty Work Gloves; Sheets of Plywood; Sheetrock; 2×4’s; 50-amp breaker boxes and 50-amp twist lock plugs (female and male); Insulation; Sheetrock screws; Screws; Nails; Hammers; Sledgehammer; shovels; Crowbar; Chainsaws-Gas Powered; Chainsaw oil and chains; Generators and Propane Stoves; 30 Amp drop cords for RV’s; Carbon monoxide detectors; Flagging tape or ribbon; Flashlights and headlamps; Battery operated lamps, candles; Walkie talkie or 2- way radios; Large and medium size tarps; Bee and Hornet spray; Yellowjacket spray.

Animals

Crates of all sizes – dogs and cats; Dog and cat food – dry and canned; Large animal feed; Collars, leashes; Outdoor dog houses – as insulated as possible for mountain weather.