Hurricane Harvey: How Bel Air Residents Can Help

BEL AIR, MD - While Bel Air is about 1,500 miles from Houston, there are ways to help, some which don't even require leaving home.

The Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company hosted a one-day donation drive that filled the Hickory Avenue firehouse this week, and it is no longer accepting goods. For those who missed that one, there are plenty of places in the area that are still taking donations. Here are a few:

Jarrettsville Creamery (1747 West Jarrettsville Road) is collecting items such as nonperishable food, toiletries and paper towels until Monday, Sept. 11. A trailer will be on-site for people to fill up from 3 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3. The creamery is also having a fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, when 10 percent of all sales will go to Harvey relief.

The Mill of Bel Air (424 North Main Street) and The Mill of Whiteford (2422 Whiteford Road) are taking nonperishable food, toiletries, diapers and water until Thursday, Sept. 7. The Mill says that Alan Moyer is driving the donations down to Houston. He is a retired resident with a truck who wants to help, The Aegis reported.

Lil' Darlin's Daycare (1338 North Bend Road) is hosting a diaper drive in Jarrettsville. Donate wipes, pullups or diapers until Thursday, Sept. 7.

More than 37,000 homes have sustained major damage and nearly 7,000 have been destroyed by Harvey and its flooding, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials recommend donating to a trusted charitable group to ensure contributions go where they're needed. To look into an organization, try Charity Navigator. FEMA urges donors not to drop off clothing, medicine or perishable food because it would turn attention away from the hurricane survivors to sort through the items.

Harford County government has a page called "Harford for Houston" that recommends contacting the following organizations to assist the victims of Hurricane Harvey: American Red Cross, Salvation Army and United Way.

Pictured, homes are surrounded by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)