Donations Pouring In To Aid Tornado Victims
(CBS) -- Volunteers and donations continue to pour into Fairdale, days after much of it was destroyed by a tornado. WBBM's Nancy Harty spoke with a volunteer on the ground.
So many donations have piled up at the Kirkland Fire Department and Hiawatha High School bus barn that volunteers are moving them to an abandoned grocery store.
Registered nurse Tracy Gardner says the response has been unbelievable.
"People will be stationed at the IGA grocery store to unpack and set up- literally a grocery store - so that people can come through and shop and take the donations that they need," Gardner said.
She says an elderly woman whose entire second floor was ripped off of her home told her how desperately she wanted to find a necklace she bought after her retirement.
"Then she pulled it out of her sweater and said, ''my granddaughter found this,' and I said of that wasn't a needle in a haystack, to find a diamond necklace in a pile of rubble that used to be a house," Gardner said.
A pastor in the nearby town of Rochelle which was also hit hard by last week's tornado says firefighters told him they are no longer accepting donations of food and clothing, but still need money or gift cards for the victims.
Both the Salvation Army and the Red Cross are providing relief to the areas hit by the tornado.
To donate to the Salvation Army, visit www.salarmychicago.org/donate, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or text the word SACHICAGO to 80888 to make a $10 donation.
To give to the Red Cross, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.