Residents in Pasco County are getting donations together to help their neighbors in need -- everything from clothes to food and cleaning supplies.

  • Team at Wesley Chapel Nissan collected donations for Harvey
  • Focus shifted to Irma victims after storm came through
  • Old Target location used as collection, distribution site

The lot looked a bit different at Wesley Chapel Nissan Thursday. People there were not looking for a new car; rather, they were volunteers wanting to give back to their community.

The team at Wesley Chapel Nissan started collecting donations for Harvey victims. After Irma hit, they realized there were people in need right in their own backyards.

Betsey Szymankski brought her kids up from Hillsborough County after seeing a Facebook post asking for help loading up donations.

"We were very blessed to have the hurricane downgraded and not have major damage," Szymankski said. "I hope they take away that it's not all about us all the time and we've been very blessed and we need to give back and help others and help those in need."

Within a half hour, the volunteers had nine trucks filled. Szymanski's kids say they're proud of what everyone has been able to accomplish.

"This morning I was on my XBox and I was like 'Mom, do we really have to go?" and then once I came it just feels really good to come," Tyler Szymanski said.

"It makes me feel really great. I think we did a really good job and that they're going to receive this and they're going to be like, 'Oh wow, these people are so nice," Hailey Szymanski added.

County leaders, meanwhile, said this turnout is a perfect example of how supportive residents have been ever since Irma hit.

"I have been so impressed by the citizens of Pasco County, how they've come together in the aftermath of this hurricane and want to work together and are helping their neighbors," Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said.

All those donations will be stored at the old Target location just off the Suncoast Parkway. There, the county's Human Services team will work to get them distributed to the people throughout the county in need.

Moore said the Human Services team has a list of people who are in need. The team will use that list to distribute the donations.