Milwaukee Pastor Collecting Gift Cards To Help Hurricane Harvey Victims

In our last blog, we proudly relayed the story about a group of New Orleans restaurateurs who got together to collect gift cards from members of the public. Accepting these gift cards as donations to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, the restaurant owners saw their charitable actions as a way to repay the assistance they were provided by the people of Houston when Hurricane Katrina ravished their Louisiana city 12 years ago.

The trend to use gift cards as ways to help those in need has certainly caught on. Earlier this week, it was reported that Dr. Nathaniel Stampley, who is a pastor of Milwaukee’s Heritage International Ministries, has started a gift card drive of his own. As explained by Katie Crowther on TMJ4.com, Stampley has a lot of family in Houston. Three sisters and dozens of nieces, nephews and cousins are among them.

“Some of them have been stranded,” he reveals in the report, “One of my nieces is stuck in a certain area, but she\’s safe. She\’s just unable to go anywhere, because of all the water.” As we’ve all been made aware, there are countless Houston residents who are not yet safe. Relief efforts remain in full effect as major flooding has caused many people to be left stranded in their homes. Stampley is calling upon the people of Milwaukee to help out in the form of donated gift cards.

“We have pastors that we know personally there, and we will take the gift cards to the pastors, and distribute them to families so they can buy some new things,” he is quoted as saying, “Show them that Milwaukee cares. Donated items are great, but having a way to buy new stuff when you\’re struggling, can mean so much more.”

At Canadian POS Corporation, we completely agree with Stampley’s sentiments. Donated gift cards make excellent ways to help people get exactly what they need. And, needless to say, the people of Houston are in great need of many necessities. For many, it will take years to get their lives back in order. Stampley intends on making the transition back to normalcy as quick as possible.

“Stampley and a few people from his church will drive the gift cards to Houston next week,” explains Crowther, “It\’s the kind of trip Stampley has experience with. He helped in Houston during flooding three years ago. He also went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and Flint, Michigan during the water crisis there. He\’s also traveled to Haiti, Africa, and many other foreign countries in times of need.”

As kind-hearted and downright heroic as Stampley is, he shares the credit of being generous with the people of Milwaukee. “I must give credit to the good character of Milwaukee,” he says in the report, “People here have always responded.”

As we pointed out in our last blog, Canadians are also doing their part to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey. And, at Canadian POS Corporation, we can confidently vouch for the good character of Canadians. Donations can be made online via the Canadian Red Cross website. We encourage you to give what you can.