Volunteers sort through donations at Trinity Episcopal Church in Seymour.
SEYMOUR – It took just six hours for Trinity Episcopal Church on Monday to be so overwhelmed with donations for area flood victims they had to temporarily stop accepting items.
It’s been that kind of week in the Valley, where flash floods killed two Oxford women and caused millions in damage on Aug. 18.
This week Trinity Episcopal Church has been collecting clothing, toiletries, toys, non-perishable food and other basic essentials to help flood victims. Currently they are not accepting large donations due to the volume, but non-perishable food items, hygiene products, paper towels, water and toiletries are accepted. See the phone number at the end of this story.
Boxes, bags and bins of donations that rolled into the church on Aug. 26 have since been neatly organized by volunteers on clothing racks and tables inside a large space in the church.
The church has been welcoming people to pick up the free items.
See the photo for hours of operation.
Additional times will be listed on Trinity’s Facebook page, as needed.
The church teamed up with TEAM, Inc. to serve as both a donation drop-off and pick-up location to help anyone in the Valley and beyond in need of everyday essentials lost in the flood.
Church bookkeeper Trish Orlando said a few flood victims per day have been stopping by. The theory behind the slow pace is that people are still dealing with the mess left behind by the flood.
“We’re getting a few people a day, it’s been a little slow, and we would love for people to come down here,” Orlando said. “We do hear that a lot of people aren’t quite ready yet, because they’re still cleaning up mud out of their homes and basements, so they haven’t necessarily gotten to the point where they know what they need yet. But we would love to help all these people. It’s for everyone impacted by the flood. We have a lot to give, so we are happy to give it away.”
One Middlebury resident, who wished to remain anonymous, paid a visit to the church on Thursday (Aug. 29). This was her second trip this week to pick up some things, not for herself, but for her neighbors.
The woman said the fire department in Middlebury told her there are 47 households in that town damaged by water. She got five feet of water in her finished basement, destroying a brand new hot water heater and furnace. She said she can replace those items on her own. That’s why she turned her attention to others in her community, scooping up a few crockpots so she can make multiple meals at a time to deliver to flood-damaged neighbors.
“Other people have way worse situations,” she said. “I picked up a few crockpots so I’m able to get three meals going tonight to drop off to people tomorrow.”
One of Trinity’s regular volunteers, Chris Dumschott, of Seymour, has been helping sort items all week.
“I like helping people and if I can do anything for anybody, I will,” Dumschott said.
Trinity Rev. Patricia Pasley said she loves seeing the community come out in force to help their neighbors.
“Trinity is the host, but the community is what made this happen,” Pasley said.
Orlando said Trinity is still accepting non-perishable food items, hygiene products, paper towels, water and toiletries. For anyone wishing to donate larger items, like furniture, they can call the church at 203 – 888-6596.
Valley Flood Relief Fund Update
TEAM, Inc. President and CEO David Morgan told The Valley Indy that a flood relief collection set up the day after the flood by the nonprofit has since raised about $440,000.
That money, Morgan said, is being used to help provide immediate relief to flood victims, whether to purchase a new refrigerator, a dehumidifier, a generator, propane tank or other items.
Morgan said flood victims can contact TEAM via an email to: info2@teaminc.org, and include photos depicting their flood damage. Morgan said TEAM has received more than 70 calls from people so far, and each one is taken on a case by case basis to determine what kind of help they need.
Morgan said there’s no way to determine just yet just how many households in the Valley and beyond have been impacted.
“We opened up the flood relief fund the day after the flood and we’re going to use these dollars to help people whose lives and homes were impacted,” Morgan said. “It’s been so devastating, especially seeing the loss of lives. On day one, there was an isolated Oxford man, relying on insulin, who was on a generator, and we were able to purchase two propane tanks for him. We can move a lot faster than government and people need help now.”
Morgan said while the fund won’t be able to help people replace a home or a driveway, it can help with smaller needs.
“We can help defray the costs, maybe by replacing a water heater, that freezer in your basement, or help put someone up at a hotel,” Morgan said. “We are wired for this and 100 percent of this fund is for direct relief. This is what we do, we respond to our people.”
Morgan said TEAM has also been handing out pre-paid food cards to help people get groceries, as well.
Lillian McKenzie, TEAM’s development and communications manager, said the outpouring of support has been overwhelming.
“From monetary donations, to food and hygiene products, household goods, volunteering, organizing fundraisers and collection drives – this is what community is all about,” McKenize told the Valley Indy via a text message. ‘We’re making a difference because of everyone chipping in, response organizations like TEAM, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Seymour Oxford Food Bank and many more have been able to rapidly respond to families in need and have helped many households start to put the pieces back together.”
To donate to TEAM’s flood relief efforts, visit them online.
In related news for flood victims, the Seymour-Oxford Food Bank will hold food distribution events from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Friday (Aug. 30) and Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 at the food bank, 20 Pine St., Seymour.
