Western Pennsylvania farmers stepping up to help fellow farmers recovering from hurricanes
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Even as Hurricane Milton devastates Florida, the desperation of Hurricane Helene's aftermath continues.
Here in Western Pennsylvania, we have a habit of stepping up when someone is in need and we are seeing multiple efforts to help our neighbors down south.
Just a short while ago, four tractor-trailers from McKissick Trucking loaded with hay left for North Carolina and even more are on the way.
When Michelle Canon pulled her truck out of Brookville on Wednesday, it was just the tip of a generosity spear.
"It's been a miraculous response," she said.
Brittany Eisenman said the need Hurricane Helene created is great.
"Of course, livestock is displaced from the storm and there's no forage down there," she said. "Now, it's all been washed away. So this, this hay donation, and this drive is super important."
When Eisenman heard about the plight of fellow farmers, she and her husband Corey knew that had some hay they could spare and their faith led them to organize their fellow farmers across the counties north of Pittsburgh.
"God has just totally blown this project out of the water," she said. "Since then, we're so grateful. We have had hundreds of hay donations coming in, we are well over 350 bails with more donations coming in."
It's not just hay headed for Canton, North Carolina, Eisenman said they're also getting fencing, portable fencing, solar fencers, T-posts, bottles of water, and gas.
"You name it, they need it, we're willing to send it," Eisenman added.
In addition to yesterday's departures and today's, Eisenman said they have other trucks loaded and ready to leave on Thursday, Friday, and over the weekend.
"Absolutely everything is donated, we have not had to purchase anything," she said.
Although they are getting financial donations, which they are using to help their fellow farmers, their effort is being mirrored by others in Western Pennsylvania. Donations are being collected in Eighty-Four and their first truck heads south on Monday.
They are still taking donations via text at 814-221-4291 or by heading to this Facebook page.