Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Monday was declared a day of giving at Summit Auto in Syracuse, where thousands of blankets and warm clothing have been donated to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
They received so many donations, that they reached their limit and had to stop taking items.
The drive was so successful that the dealership had to actually move cars back to make room for all the donations they collected.
Maureen McNamara and her husband filled 10 large bags with essentials to keep a family warm and took them down to Summit Auto.
“He went straight to the closet, which I’ve been asking him since September to do, and started packing up towels and sheets, clothing and jackets,” Maureen said.
The drive was non-stop all day. Countless others stepped up to do the same and the donations piled up.
Former Central New Yorker Kim O’Casey now lives near the city, organized the clothing drives and says she never imagined so much generosity.
“These things are not just to keep people warm, it provides a sense of security and normalcy in their lives,” O’Casey said.
On top of the donations are prayers and warm wishes that they recover quickly.
“It’s important to be supportive to those who have lost so much. I have so much. I’m very blessed,” said Pam Phillips, who donated to the cause.
As temperatures dip into the 30s and another storm threatens some of Sandy’s hardest hit areas, staying warm is a challenge for the victims. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says they’re struggling to find places for more than 30,000 people to escape the cold.
Greater Syracuse Moving & Storage has donated a truck to move the goods downstate.
The clothing drive is just one of the ways you can donate to help those impacted by the storm.
If you’d like to make a donation through the American Red Cross,
CLICK HERE.
