Donations have poured in from across North Texas, including gift cards, bottled water, nonperishable food, clothing, blankets, toiletries and household goods.
DALLAS, Texas — As investigators continue working to determine what caused the explosion and fire at a Dallas apartment complex, community organizations, businesses and volunteers are focusing on helping displaced residents rebuild their lives.
Mission Oak Cliff has become a hub for donations after putting out a call for help on social media. The organization has partnered with the American Red Cross and the city of Dallas to collect and distribute supplies to victims affected by the blast and fire.
Organizers said the public response has been overwhelming.
Donations have poured in from across North Texas, including gift cards, bottled water, nonperishable food, clothing, blankets, toiletries and household goods. Volunteers have been sorting and organizing the items to ensure they reach families in need.
“It makes me feel really good. There’s so much turmoil in the world, but to know that people can come together and help each other is a wonderful thing,” Mission Uplift Director Julie Hargrove said.
Several local businesses have also stepped forward to assist.
The owner of Home on Bishop, a retail store in Oak Cliff, said employees felt the force of the explosion inside their business. The blast reportedly shook chandeliers and knocked over computer monitors.
In response, the store pledged up to $7,000 worth of clothing for displaced residents.
“We have a line of ladies’ clothing, and we’re going to donate, you know, obviously clothing, but anything we can just to help out in any way,” Cody Ellison said. “I think the first priority right now is to help these people find a place to live.”
IT-Serve Alliance also contributed to the relief effort, donating $1,000 along with gift cards for victims.
“It made me really sad. It made me feel bad for the families, and I just felt like I needed to contribute and help out some way,” spokesperson Karthika Adepu said.
Adepu served as the spokesperson for IT-Serve Alliance during their visit to Mission Oak Cliff.
Organizations involved in the donation effort said they are coordinating closely with the Red Cross and Dallas emergency management officials to help ensure supplies and financial assistance are delivered directly to those impacted.
Mission Oak Cliff organizers believe it could take weeks for many affected families to get back on their feet and are encouraging anyone in need of assistance to reach out for help.