Following the deadly tornadoes that swept through Cooke, Denton and Collin counties Saturday night, several groups are offering shelter and collecting donations for the victims.
“There’s a lot of great need in those three areas. And, you know, tomorrow, everybody will be probably going back to work,” Paul McFarland, area commander of The Salvation Army of North Texas, said. “But these families and the loss that they’ve sustained — especially loss of life — we’ll continue to need help and prayers from all of North Texas.”
The Salvation Army arrived in Cooke, Denton and Collin counties Sunday morning and continued its relief efforts Monday. McFarland said the organization will likely have a presence in the three counties Tuesday, and they are following the counties’ emergency disaster offices recommendations in determining when to transition from emergency services to long-term assistance for the areas.
The Red Cross is encouraging anyone in need of assistance to call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
If you need assistance or would like to help, please find your affected area below.
A shelter set up in coordination with the Red Cross has moved to Valley View High School gym at 700 S. Frontage Road in Valley View. Meals were available at Valley View United Methodist Church, 201 Church St. in Valley View.
The Methodist church is also accepting donations for the area, Pastor Beate Hall said.
“The long-term need is going to be rebuilding,” she said. “We’ll need folks with construction knowledge. Some companies have already reached out to donate lumber.”
The Salvation Army is sending residents seeking aid to its office in Sherman at 426 W. Houston St.
According to a Cooke County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster social media post, donations can be dropped off at the Valley View Independent School District campus at 106 Newton St.
Donations can be dropped off at the Valley View ISD Ag Barn located off Lee street behind the football field.
Financial donations for Valley View disaster relief can be made at First United Bank, 101 E Broadway St. in Gainesville, or by calling the bank at (940) 665-3484. Tell them it’s for tornado relief.
The city of Celina set up a donation drop site at Grace Bridge, 402 S. Oklahoma St., and will accept donation from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Drew Herndon, distributions and services manager at Grace Bridge said. Items needed include water, Gatorade, trash bags, gloves and cleaning supplies.
Debi Kennedy, business manager of Grace Bridge, said the drop site on Sunday received water bottles, clothes, Gatorade, cleaning supplies, toiletries, trash bags and more. Kennedy said in the nearly four years she’s worked at the food bank, she’s never seen it so busy.
Cars filled the parking lot as community members unloaded packs of water bottles and other supplies.
Celina “still has that small town feel where everybody looks out for each other and helps each other. Strangers, they just come out and help,” Kennedy said.
For those who want to give monetary donations, the city of Celina recommends the Red Cross or Minuteman Disaster Response.
The Salvation Army has locations in McKinney at 600 Wilson Creek Parkway and in Plano at 3528 14th St. where affected residents can seek social services.
McFarland said that the most useful donations to The Salvation Army are monetary. Donors should write May 2024 tornadoes in the memo line for the entire donation to go toward relief efforts.
Denton County Office of Emergency Management said in a social media post that those wishing to help can donate to the United Way of Denton County.
The Salvation Army has a Denton location at 1508 E. McKinney St. where they can provide shelter and social services to residents.
Staff writers Gabrielle Beechert and Sarah Bahari contributed to this report.
Correction, 10:56 a.m., May 27, 2024: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled the name of Pastor Beate Hall.