VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As people in Louisiana pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ida, more help is on the way from Hampton Roads.
Ida hit the Gulf Coast as a category four storm, destroying homes and businesses.
Sunday, Essential Church in Virginia Beach spent the morning collecting much-needed supplies to send to people hit hardest by the storm.
"The idea that you lost everything... If you just sit and think about that for a moment, what would you want? How would you want somebody to reach out to you?" asked Executive Pastor Chris Gill.
Gill's church had a big truck to fill up with relief supplies to be delivered to another church in New Orleans. There, crews will distribute the items to people who need help.
"We are going to fill this 26-foot truck and hopefully a trailer, as well," Gill said.
The collection drive was held at Essential Church on Sunday.
Among the supplies, Gill's team was looking to include: water bottles, tarps, flashlights and batteries, toiletries, bug spray, cleaning products, canned goods and can openers.
It's a community effort to provide relief.
"One of our folks yesterday went to Sam's, filled their cart up, the lady behind him asked what he was doing, and she stepped in front of him and paid," Gill said. "So, he went back to Sam's and got more because she paid for the first cart full."
Gill said the truck will head out on Monday morning and arrive in New Orleans on Tuesday.