AWI Helping With Hurricane Relief

UPDATE:

For the Gofundme Admin and those who don't know me:

My name is Mike Gerakios, and I am a local business owner and former police officer in the L.A. area. My business is American Wood Importers, LLC.  I have been a first responder my entire professional life (until I was injured in the line of duty, responding to an emergency call for help), and we are doing this out of a deep-rooted need to help out our fellow man.

The funds collected will be withdrawn and used by me to buy pallets of drinking water to be given out by us to volunteers at the shelters we encounter when we get to the area devastated by Hurricane Harvey.  We will also use some of the money for other basic necessities for humanitarian aid - Diapers, Feminine Hygiene Products, Toilet Paper, etc. 

My business partner (Jeremy Craig) and I are currently approximately $30,000 out-of-pocket on this mission, including the purchase of the truck to get us there, and we are VERY transparent about the use of everyone's money.

American Wood Importers (or AWI, for short) will be heading down to Houston, TX next Thursday, September 7th, with our new (used) 6x6 U.S. Military Surplus truck.  We are going to help with the evacuations and relief of Hurricane Harvey victims.

It's devastating watching the news, seeing what is happening to innocent people, lives and homes taken and not being able to stop it. We couldn't just sit and watch the devastation on TV, and we figured that we had to help. We reached out to our friends at Plan B Suppply and purchased an awesome truck that is well-equiped for the mission.  We will be taking our 6x6 truck full of supplies down to Houston.  

Word around Pasadena spread quickly, and we are partnering up with local leaders in the community as well. They are holding a fundraiser for the next week to encourage families and business leaders to bring in cases of water and additional supplies for the victims.

The money that is donated through gofundme is going to help us fill our new truck with cases of water bottles for people in need.  We will take those bottles to Houston (and anywhere else they are needed) and once we off-load the truck, we will be assisting with recovery efforts.

We are going to be handing a check for the excess funds donated through this fundraiser to the Red Cross to help them with their Hurricane Harvey Relief Mission. 

Mike (owner of AWI) will be hand delivering our check made up from donations directly to the Red Cross leaders on site.  He will also be using the new truck to rescue families in need, shuttle rescue teams across town, and get families back to their homes to recover property.

Help us bring these families back on their feet after this disaster!