Renfrew couple leading local donation efforts in wake of Hurricane Helene
Hannah and Josh Graham never could have anticipated the overflow of goodwill shortly after developing a plan to assist those in need following the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.
But it’s exactly what the two received after Hannah put up several Facebook posts that detailed a trip to North Carolina that involved delivering essential supplies to those who have suffered from the storm’s impact.
Dozens of Butler County residents, businesses and farmers have backed the cause by donating nonperishable food, water, baby formula, pet and livestock feed, bales of hay and a host of other items.
Hannah and her relatives have spent hours boxing all of those supplies and loading them up for the journey.
“We’ve brought hundreds of people in the Butler area together to put food on the table for these families that have literally lost absolutely everything,” she said. “I just think it’s really incredible. I hope this inspires other people to think outside of the box on how to help others.”
Hannah drew some inspiration from her longtime friend and Mars Area High School graduate Katy Doyle, who now lives in Tennessee and is coordinating helicopter missions with local pilots to drop supplies in more remote areas that saw significant damage to homes, roads and power lines.
The couple has turned their home as well as Josh’s workplace at Cleveland-Cliffs into drop-off points for donations.
While they’re happy to be part of the recovery, Josh was quick to praise everyone else who has given their time and support to the relief effort.
“I guess it’s spiraled out of control in the last two days,” he said. “Now we got a couple of trucks, trailers and vans. Everyone’s donating everything to us. They’re the ones doing the real work, I suppose. We’re just driving.”
More than a dozen local businesses have provided resources or monetary aid, and a handful of local farmers led by Marlowe Houllion and his family and Tim “Jethro” Vogel have given additional animal feed and hay to the Graham’s ongoing efforts.
“There are so many local businesses in Butler and Armstrong counties that have donated,” said Hannah Graham. “I can’t even name how many people have donated supplies, money and gas money for my family, brothers and friends to get down there to deliver the supplies.”
Nichole Wheeler and her daughter Alexis Eshenbaugh, co-owners of Little Bugs Daycare in West Sunbury, saw one of Hannah’s posts highlighting the need for baby formula and diapers. The two have donated formula and asked for donations on their Facebook pages.
“My daughter and I thought that would be a cool thing to be a part of,” said Wheeler. “I told her (Graham) I had some free formula that was donated to us. She said that was great and I just told her I’d see if any other families had anything to donate up until they left.
“I just think it’s awesome for us to pitch in and help out as a community.”
The Grahams’ team of five drivers plans to leave for North Carolina on Saturday at 3 a.m.
Hannah said the initiative would not have been possible without the generosity of everyone who has donated and her immediate family for their kindness and support.
“I’m just your average person,” she said. “I’ve never done something like this before. So, your average person can do it; it just takes family, friends and the community to get it done.”
