Local merchant collecting donations for Texas storm victims

After the owner of the Blue Orchid Boutique in Carpinteria donated to the American Red Cross to help Harvey victims, she decided she wanted to do more.

Rachel Nunez said she learned how to help in a grass roots way from her father.

This week, she started collecting new and gently used items from friends and businesses

The Best Western donated blankets, pillows and sheets.

Other businesses donated, clothing and toiletries.

She plans to sort the items for men, women and children.

She said people she knows in Houston lost everything.

An RV full of donations will head to Houston on Thursday.

The rest of the donations will be shipped to friends in Austin who will make sure they go to churches and donation centers that are helping storm victims

Nunez decided to name the effort “Kolby and Tank’s Houston Relief.”

For more information visit The Blue Orchid Boutique on Facebook or Instagram and on twitter @theBOB805

Kolby and Tank are her beloved dogs and Tank is a rescue.

Nunez will be accepting donations at the Blue Orchid Boutique at 905 Linden Avenue in Carpinteria for one more week.