PARMA, Ohio — Mario Innocenzi is planning to head back down to North Carolina for a second time to support Hurricane Helene survivors because he said there’s an even greater need for items like sleeping bags and tents.
“This is what they need. They need things to keep warm. They need things to put over their head. We’ve already delivered one haul truck load of love from Northeast Ohio. We’re going on a second possibly a third,” said Mario Innocenzi of Mario’s Barbershop in Parma.
When News 5 first met Innocenzi three weeks ago, he asked the community for water, non-perishable food items and all-new clothes for men, women and children, among other things.
RELATED: Want to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene? Here’s how.
Now, Innocenzi said he has a different plea because he said those items aren’t enough.
“These people absolutely have nothing, so we came back and said we don’t need all the stuff we got. They need tents, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, cookware for outdoors and that’s what we have… a whole truckload,” Innocenzi said.
A whole truckload Innocenzi said he could not have filled without support from people like Carole Wooten, who’s donating for her third time.
“Instead of going out to eat or anything, we’ve been bringing things up,” Wooten said.
Meanwhile, Kevin Sutyak said it's his first time, but he’s glad to support Mario’s drive.
“He does this a lot. He does this a lot for people,” Sutyak said.
Innocenzi wondered why many felt compelled to help, “Sometimes I just sit here and think, why are these people helping me? But they’re not helping me. They’re helping our fellow Americans."
If you want to donate items like tents, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and cookware for outdoors, Innocenzi said you still have time before he heads out at 1 p.m. Saturday.
You can drop items off at Mario’s Barbershop. The address is 7526 Broadview Road, Parma, OH 44134. It’s inside the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center.
Innocenzi has also set up a GoFundMe to support the volunteers’ lodging, fuel and food.
CLICK HERE to donate.
