LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Volunteers with Catholic Charities of Acadiana began collecting donations early this morning, and by 4 p.m. hundreds of cars had driven through Texas flood recovery. If there’s one thing Acadiana residents know, it’s to help others recover after a natural disaster.

Earlier today, Acadiana had the chance to lend a hand as KLFY teamed up with Catholic Charities of Acadiana to host a one-day supply drive.

Acadiana donors like Linda Marchetta, a long-time contributor to Catholic Charities of Acadiana’s relief efforts, shared why she decided to donated.

“Very kind people, very generous people. They give what they have.” Manchetta said. “It’s important to give to anybody from Catholic Charities, as far as I’m concerned, because they stepped up for me once a long long time ago. And that’s always near and dear to my heart.”

Between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., donors filled up almost 100 pallets, to be loaded into a truck and sent west. Catholic Charities’ Chief of External Affairs, Ben Broussard, said the turnout exceeded their expectations.

“It means the world to us as a responding organization when we’re going through disaster to have organizations form outside the zone reach out and say what specifically do you need?” Broussard said. “It creates coordination, it helps that responding organization to get exactly what they need. And so, um, to do this year in and year out for our friends… either in Mississippi, or North Carolina, or this time in Texas, it just, it really completes the circle of being a good disaster partner, but also just being a neighbor.”

In the line of donors were middle school groups, high school sports teams, and even people who have been on the receiving end of these donation drives after past disasters. Broussard shared how these boxes have been filled and pallets have been stacked, awaiting transport.

“The next part is having trucking, which we have generous trucking partners within Acadiana who have said this is how we can help.” Broussard said.

Soon, these donations will be in Texas, helping survivors get back on their feet.

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