SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Juan Meza, a resident of Mountain View, found newfound significance in basic household items like blankets, shoes, and toys after his family lost everything during Monday's storm.
“We lost everything. Couches, beds, clothing,” Meza said. He lives in one house with his two children, mom, dad, brother and sister in the Mountain View neighborhood. It flooded during Monday’s storm and Meza said they’ve been able to stay afloat thanks to donations.
“Have you been able to get food?”
“A lot. Pizzas, we got Chick-fil-A, all kinds of stuff. We’re stuffed.”
seven local organizations collaborated to provide support, establishing five food distribution sites and four donation drop-offs in southeast San Diego. One of these sites operates at the Southcrest Recreation Center.
“We’ve got a ton. We’ve got enough to take care of the whole southeast San Diego area,” said NeeNee Torbert, a volunteer with Pillars of the Community.
“It’s only right for us to come together as a community," said Armon Harvey, the founder of Harvey Family Foundation. "We’re a village so we have to take care of our own.”
Harvey is leading the relief efforts through his nonprofit. Harvey is also a football coach at Lincoln High School which now serves as a shelter for those displaced by flooding.
“What’s it like seeing your own high school as a shelter and then YMCA transformed into a donation site?”
“I'm really proud of how my community reacted," Harvey said. "Nobody hesitated everyone jumped on.”
This sentiment resonates among volunteers, underscoring the collective pride in taking care of their own community.
“Sometimes I used to think ‘nobody’s ever going to help us’. But it really does make me look at the world a little bit different. It opens up my eyes that there’s a lot of good people out there,” Meza said.
