Volunteers needed to help Harvey victims in Friendswood
FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- It's been a month since Hurricane Harvey impacted Friendswood, but the need for volunteers and good is still high.
At First Baptist Friendswood, you can find carts, buckets and lists. You might think this is a supermarket.
It is a place where people can stock up, and load their car, but no matter what they grab, they all have something in common: it doesn't cost a thing.
"Every day has been a crowded day," volunteer Omar Peck said. "Right from the start to the finish of the day."
In order to handle the demand, the church is full of volunteers. Peck is one of those workers, who's manned the shelter since it started.
"I've been blessed with retirement and my house was not flooded, but I hurt for these people because I see what they've gone through," Peck said.
How lawnmowers are bringing Harvey victims in Friendswood together
While it's been a good experience for volunteers at this site, at another nearby church, it hasn't been pleasant for everyone.
At Calvary Church, Carmen Hix said she was shocked when her religion and sexual orientation was questioned by the pastor.
"He said, 'Well, it's also rumored that you're a lesbian.' I said, 'Well it's not exactly a rumor. Yes, I am a lesbian. What does that have to do with anything?'
The pastor was unavailable for an interview, but in a statement, the church said, "We are deeply saddened that one volunteer has called into question our love for those of different sexual orientation and beliefs. For the last 26 years, the heart of Calvary Houston has been to reach out and share the love of Christ to all people, regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion."
Hix didn't let the negative experience stop her. She found welding company SSG in Alvin. The group turned its warehouse into a donation center, assisting neighbors in Friendswood, southeast Texas, and Caribbean Islands hit hard by other hurricanes.
"They greeted me with, we don't care," Hix said. "We don't care what your religion is. We don't care who you sleep with. Are you ready to get to work? And I said, I am."
A service she and so many others continue to make in Friendship to help the community recover.
