Southern Kentuckians lending a helping hand for Hurricane Michael victims

A southern Kentucky funeral home is a drop-off location for items needed to help Hurricane Michael victims.

A tractor-trailer is set up at Southern Oaks Funeral Home to collect various items, and other businesses are also helping with the effort.

"We said we would like to do something, but what do you do?" Richard New asked when learning of the devastation on the Florida Panhandle. "They took a direct hit. And are in desperate need. They are a poor community to begin with and this has devastated that community."

A trucking company has donated a trailer and cab, and its driver is donating his drive time to go to the gulf coast. They're hoping to fill up the trailer by this weekend.

"Things that everybody can use is the toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, cleaning supplies, canned food," New said.

Once word got out, other funeral homes agreed to help out. Morris and Hislope delivered two van loads of paper towels. Pulaski Funeral Home is also assisting. Other businesses are donating items.

"We first went to Facebook, and we're going to start taking donations Monday, and as you can see within one day it's starting to fill up," New said.

Donations will be taken from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until the truck is full. Organizers are working to deliver the items to a church or community center in Mexico Beach to make sure the items go to people who truly need them.