NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Efforts to help Moore, Okla., continue to grow. One North Kansas City organization is collecting donations for Oklahoma — and that’s even though it normally helps the poor overseas.
When trucks back in to Planet Aid’s warehouse, help for Moore, Okla., rides with them.
CONTINUING COVERAGE: Moore, Okla., tornado
Bryan Thompson is accustomed to assisting those in need. Each year, his staff at Planet Aid in North Kansas City sends donated items to people overseas, in places like South America and Southeast Asia.
“We’re still placing boxes in local businesses collecting donations,” Thompson said.
He’s talking about large cardboard boxes, which have been placed at half-a-dozen businesses in the Northland. Planet Aid is known for their big yellow collection bins. Items placed in the supplimental cardboard boxes will be earmarked for people affected by this week’s tornado in Oklahoma.
“When something like this arises — like the hurricane that struck the east coast in November — Planet Aid had an office in Massachusetts that sprung into action,” Thompson said.
Bryan says Planet Aid will fill the boxes until there’s enough clothing and non-perishable food to fill a truck, and all of it will go to Moore.
“It’s not about money. It’s about helping people,” Wendy Boone with Planet Aid said.
“People in Kansas City gives back to the community.”
Planet Aid’s managers say they have these boxes in use in addition to more than 1,200 collection recepticals they have in use in the metro. Business owners say they’re glad to get involved and help.
It only took a day for one box — outside TDR Auto Plaza in Kearney — to collect a van load of goodies.
“It’s heartwrenching,” Ron Edwards from TDR said. “You see these people who were injured or lost their lives, and all the damage that’s there. It’s awful.”
“It’s times like these people come together,” Thompson said. “It makes you proud to be from a great town in the midwest.”
Planet Aid’s organizers say the group hopes to send its truck to Oklahoma by this Friday.