Texas school gathers supplies to help flood-impacted locals after spotlight moves on

Ingram Independent School District Interim Superintendent Mindy Curran spoke to Fox News Digital about the transformation Ingram Elementary School has undergone over just three days.

“On day one, we initially opened up Ingram Elementary as a reunification site for families looking for people, for our camps that were evacuating,” Curran said. “Every day it’s kind of evolved based on the needs that are happening in our community at the time.”

TEXAS FAMILY HELPS RESCUE WOMAN CLINGING TO TREE AFTER BEING SWEPT 20 MILES DOWNRIVER

Curran said that the school was initially not going to open on Saturday, but when supplies began pouring into Kerr County, the building was once again pressed into service. Volunteers worked Saturday and Sunday to organize donations, including toiletries, bottled water, nonperishable food and other essentials for struggling local families. While the generous donations are appreciated, Curran suspects supplies will prove especially useful after the initial wave of volunteers and donations dies down.

“In a catastrophe like this, there’s an initial influx of all this support and help,” Curran said. “And then, when that support and help exits, the community is still here needing those things. And so, we’re going to have that organized and ready to go for that purpose.”

LIVE UPDATES: TEXAS FLOODS LEAVE DOZENS DEAD, MISSING AS CREWS SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS

When asked how operations at Ingram Elementary School were able to get going quickly, Curran credited the community for its support.

“What’s really impressive is our community, and I knew it, but nothing tells you like when you have a situation where the community really needs to rally around and step up in a catastrophe like what we’ve had,” Curran said. “And their response has been just overwhelming.”

As she was speaking with Fox News Digital, a truck with a pallet of water bottles drove up to the school’s entrance. Curran pointed out that the people coming with supplies were from outside the local area and drove hours to get to Ingram Elementary School.

While she said that she could not speak to the immediate needs of impacted families, Curran said that the Ingram School District is being responsive and preparing for what comes next. Long after the floodwaters have receded and the spotlight is off of Kerr County, local families will need supplies, she said. And they’ll be waiting inside Ingram Elementary School.