Many are asking what they can do to help East Palestine.
One North East business owner sent 600 gallons of clean water to the scene on Thursday. Since then, businesses from all over the county have been calling in to lend a helping hand.
Since that story aired on Thursday, calls have been coming in to Mobilia Fruit Farms from all around the country offering support to help a community in desperate need.
Phones at Mobilia Fruit Farms have been ringing off the hook on Friday. People called from all over the country looking to support their mission and help out victims of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
“Recently, we’re getting calls from all over the United States. We’re getting people from Texas, Arkansas, Wyoming, the Carolinas, and people in Florida calling us and telling us ‘what can we do to help?’ They want to send money for fuel to run the trucks down,” said Nick Mobilia, owner of Mobilia Fruit Farms.
Mobilia said that people have really noticed a community in need and are stepping up. Locally, businesses are stepping up.
The Lake Erie Wine Country has offered the support of other neighboring wineries — whether that be loading trucks, providing equipment or hauling supplies.
The Erie County Farm Bureau is throwing its hat in the ring and its president shared why they’re getting involved.
“The outpouring of what we heard on the news where people felt like they weren’t cared of. We didn’t see the National Guard pull up with tank trucks that we have seen at other disasters where they have portable water. You bring a five-gallon that they fill, we didn’t see any of that,” said Mark Muir, president of Erie County Farm Bureau.
This comes after residents of East Palestine said despite what officials are saying, they don’t believe the water is safe to drink.
Mobilia Fruit Farms and Arrowhead Wine Cellars in North East is accepting donations of bottle water now until Sunday, Feb. 19. They will deliver the water to East Palestine on Monday, Feb. 20.
“We shouldn’t be doing this. There should be some state agency taking the lead on this, but in absence of them, these people need help right now,” said Mobilia.
Government officials said that the region is safe, but others are not so sure, finding rivers full of dead fish.
To find out how you can help send relief to east Palestine, call the Ohio Farm Bureau at 330-456-4889.