Chicagoans send donations to Texas, Tennessee following deep freeze
CHICAGO - Five trailers filled to capacity with food, water and other donations left Chicago Wednesday night and are on the road to Memphis, Tenn. and Dallas, TX.
Donations started pouring in Sunday and will be going to help people who went without heat last week.
Millions in Texas are faced with a boil water advisory, and it's the same story for many in Tennessee after the deep freeze crippled the south.
"I would want someone to do that for me if I was in that situation," said one donor, Terri Jackson.
The effort was spearheaded by philanthropist and W&W Tow Truck Company owner Early Walker.
"Chicago is dope. They have come out in abundance. Shout out to Chicago," said Walker.
"We were contacted by a small college, Lemoyne College in Memphis, and we were told that they are having it very rough as well due to the storm and the cold weather. They have several kids going without food, so we're going to be doing our part and adding them to the list," said Walker.
A portion of the Jewel Osco parking lot in Morgan Park on 119th and Marshfield was turned into a donation site.
"People drove, they took off from work early. It’s a blessing," said volunteer Brian Metcalf.
The goal was to fill up three trailers, but so many generous people came out, that five were stacked to capacity.
One will go to Memphis, and the others will go to Dallas.
The donations will help 25,000 people in Dallas and 5,000 in Memphis.