Local Business Owners Seek Donations For Joplin Tornado Victims

Everything came together so quickly that Gary Batchelder can hardly believe it.

Batchelder is working with area business owners to gather donated items for tornado victims in Joplin, MO. Working in community relations for Seeyoudowntown.com, Batchelder comes into contact with local businesses every day.

In a matter of 24 hours a plan was in place to begin gathering items most needed for those in Joplin.

“I have a friend that lives down there,” he said. “But I’ve been involved with charity and things like that before. Last fall I started a food drive for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This is kind of the same thing but on a much larger scale. It’s pretty awesome stuff.”

Locals who want to donate items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and other necessities, can begin dropping items off at Rue Noir in downtown Naperville.

Morgan Perris in Westmont and Modern Dog in Clarendon Hills are also dropoff locations, Batchelder said. He is also working to find more businesses willing to provide donation sites.

A local logistics company has agreed to transport the items to Missouri, Batchelder said.

Christina Diamond, owner of the lingerie shop Rue Noir, said that so many people set out to help the earthquake/tsunami victims in Japan but this is much closer to home.

“It’s just heartbreaking, there’s just nothing else to say,” Diamond said of the twister that claimed at least 120 lives and destroyed property. “If we can’t help out who can?”

Items requested include:

• Baby items including: diapers, baby food, baby wipes and A & D ointment
• Deodorant
• Soap
• Shampoo
• Toothpaste
• First-aid kits
• Cleaning products
• Hand sanitizer
• Laundry detergent
• Non-perishable food

For more information contact Gary Batchelder at gary@seeyoudowntown.com.