Gulf Coast Produce, Produce Alliance help flooding victims

Produce Alliance LLC is working with one of its members to help victims of massive Gulf Coast flooding.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Produce Alliance is helping Biloxi, Miss.-based Gulf Coast Produce Distributors Inc. donate truckloads of fresh produce to flooding victims, their families, first responders and others in Louisiana and Texas.

Three days of rains in mid-August caused deaths and evacuations after torrential downpours destroyed homes.

"This is worse than anyone could ever have imagined," Christi Alise, Gulf Coast Produce Distributors president, said in a news release. " ... We are going to need shelters, food, water, cleaning supplies, etc., for months and months to come. This is just the beginning. Thank you all so much for helping the desperate people in need."

People can contribute to the PA Foundation, which is helping flood victims, by visiting http://bit.ly/2b70IIX.

The companies plan to donate 100% of contributions to Gulf Coast community relief through procuring more produce and fresh drinking water and other necessities, according to the release.

"It's in times like these when the Produce Alliance family bands together to support one another," Melissa Melshenker Ackerman, Produce Alliance executive vice president of sales, said in the release.