LOUISVILLE, Ky. — WHAS11 is teaming up with Kroger, UPS and Volunteers of America to help collect donations for eastern Kentucky flood victims.
Louisville residents are connecting with the mountains, one supply item after another.
Tami Conroy of Prospect donated to the "WHAS11 Eastern Kentucky Donation Drive."
"I really hope that we can all continue to be part of a team like this today and not forget them," Conroy said.
The donations are being noticed in Letcher County.
"I'm going to tear my house down and just start over," Chris Caudill a flood survivor, said.
Now, people across eastern Kentucky are still working to pick up the pieces.
"A lot of my friends have had a really, really hard time with FEMA and they lost everything," Caudill said.
Caudill's cousin Lee Adams says at the start federal assistance was less than stellar, something Governor Beshear has also recently expressed.
"This lady was saying that they owe $90,000 on their home, and they got $20,000 from FEMA, there's no way that they'll be able to rebuild anything," Adams said.
Now, people across the commonwealth are working to make sure Eastern Kentucky isn't forgotten about.
"A lot of people want to help, but they don't have any way to get the stuff down there to where the need is. So, we're going to be that hub for everybody," Brooke Ratliff, Prospect Kroger store manager, said.
Ratliff is also from the Eastern Kentucky region.
"Seeing that type of devastation and you know, kids' toys hanging from trees and pieces of houses hanging from trees was really very eye opening and shocking," she said.
Ratliff said it only feels right to help from here in Louisville, something Caudill said they are very appreciative of.
"I've been all over the state helping them with tornadoes and floods and different things. And now to have that returned is pretty awesome.”
Both Caudill and Adams said it will be a long road ahead for their communities, hoping they won't be forgotten about.
Some of the things they said are needed now are building supplies for homes, flooring, bedding and other necessities.
Adams says a need she has seen in the community is gift cards, saying they have some stores like Home Depot and Lowes not far from their area that residents could get to. She is happy to help coordinate with anyone who would like to purchase these gift cards for her neighbors in Eastern Kentucky.
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