EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — As the cleanup process continues in East St. Louis Monday, many residents needed everyday items and volunteers to help.
So far there are three places Metro East residents can get supplies and necessities:
Community Lifeline at 1468 State Street, East St. Louis has clothing, food, toiletries, baby items and more.
Mollie’s Fireworks at 6607 Bond Avenue, Cahokia Heights is offering clothes, wigs, shoes and cleaning supplies.
Clyde Jordan Senior Center at 6755 State Street, East St. Louis is handing out cleaning supplies.
Mollie Stanley, owner of Mollie's Fireworks turned her store in Cahokia Heights into a supply center for flood victims, carrying, clothes, shoes and cleaning supplies. She said she’s been through this years ago and immediately wanted to help.
“It was terrible for me to have to be carried out and put into a boat only to come back in my house and my house was filled with worms and bugs and there was nothing left. So we need the government or whoever the powers that be to get these ditches and trenches cleaned out. We are tired of the same thing over and over and over again. So I just jumped on the bandwagon to help those that needed help this time,” Stanley said.
Stanley said donations of clothes, blankets, boots or shoes and cleaning supplies are most needed and they are accepting them until Friday.
Glenda Merriweather said she has been through several floods at her home on Terrace Drive.
“Everything waist down is ruined,” Merriweather said.
Merriweather and her son have been cleaning for days after her home was filled with feet of water.
“So you bring your essentials that you need; sandwich, water and get a plastic chair. When you take a break, you can you sit under this muddy tree and we keep working at it,” Merriweather said.
She said she wants more action from local and state governments and is hoping for disaster relief from FEMA.
“They need to see it, smell it and look in the homes. This is hard on us as senior citizens,” Merriweather said.
If you have some items to donate they can also be dropped off at Community Lifeline in East St. Louis. They ask that you call first at 618-482-2950 and they are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.