Jefferson City residents who have been through devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma are putting together an effort to help their former neighbors after this week's deadly storms.
Concord Baptist Church Executive Pastor Pete Livingston and his wife, Debbie, lived in Oklahoma City and served a church in the path of a tornado in May 1999.
"It was a command center and relief center and now the church is again a relief center," Pete said. "My son is a children's pastor there and told us they can't get things to people due to the amount of destruction."
Livingston said people are sending items, but the local supply chain to reach the people is broken.
"Places that have water can't get out of the rubble to deliver it," he said. "A lot of Oklahoma folks helped in Joplin after their tornadoes, so we felt we need to reach out to our neighbors in their trouble."
On Wednesday, collections of supplies began at Concord on West Truman and will continue next week.
The items to be collected include: bottled water, formula, new baby bottles, diapers, rakes, tarps, shovels, work gloves, underwear, socks, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and cash.
Donation times will be today and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. No donations will be received on Sunday or Monday.
Donations will again be received on May 28 and May 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"A lot of church members in Oklahoma are people who lost homes and everything they had," Livingston said. "I can not imagine driving down a street and seeing every indicator of where you used to live gone. It's amazing because you can't tell where you are. Things you lost are not just thrown in your front yard, they could be miles away."
Livingston said this is a reliable, dependable way to help with items that can be brought to the folks in need in the first couple of weeks.
"Not one nickel is going to Concord Baptist," he added. "One hundred percent goes to the people who are suffering in Oklahoma City area."
Livingston said the plan is to leave on the evening of May 29 for Oklahoma.
"It would help if we had the donations come in early so we know what size of truck we'll need," he said.