TOMBALL, Texas – Jake Carter and his family and neighbors in Tomball have turned his home into relief central for the people of Westlake, Louisiana. That is Carter’s hometown —one of many places ravaged by Hurricane Laura last week.
“Our home is in Houston but our hearts are in southwest Louisiana,” Carter said. “And we’re ready to get some relief to those people over there.”
Carter thought for several days about what he could do to help. This past weekend, he came up with the idea to put together care packages and deliver them to Westlake. He posted the plan to his neighborhood’s Facebook page and was overwhelmed when neighbors started leaving items at his front door.
“It was just unbelievable. There were products piled,” he recalled. “I couldn’t even see out of my door and it was just amazing.”
Diapers, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, and water are just some of the donations collected for the care packages that are being assembled in Carter’s home by family, friends, and neighbors. They will drive the 172 miles from Tomball to Westlake Saturday morning. Carter said it’s the least he could do to help his hometown from the new place he calls home.
“We’re going to help those people there,” he said. “We’re going to hand it directly to the hands of the people who need it most.”