Hurricane Laura devastated the area surrounding Lake Charles, Tex. last week with devastating winds that caused immense damage to the area. In the Katy area, residents understand what it’s like to suffer through a hurricane and its aftermath, so local nonprofit Supply Bridge Ministries collected supplies to help the community that lies about three hours east and slightly north of Katy.

“(NBD Graphics) has been around since 2007 and the Katy Community really grew us so a couple prior to starting Supply Bridge and we really were just looking for a way to give back to the community,” said Supply Bridge Ministries Founder Nicholas Doherty. “We were going to do a small business resource or something for entrepreneurs – something that would have been helpful when I started NBD, but then (Hurricane) Harvey hit and when Harvey hit, it redirected us.”

Doherty, who owns NBD Graphics at 917 Mason Road in Katy, said Supply Bridge was founded in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Katy area and he wanted to do something to help the community that had helped him grow his business over the few years prior. Since then, the nonprofit has teamed up with an extensive variety of organizations including Home Depot, Bona Fitness and others to continue helping those who have been affected by natural disasters such as communities along the Gulf Coast that have been hit by hurricanes or communities in Oklahoma and elsewhere that have been hit by tornadoes.

Doherty said he’s found sources for commonly needed supplies and worked with nonprofits and local businesses to help out other communities that have been hurt in the same way Harvey struck Katy.

“We’ve got groups we’re working with or working through and in almost every major hurricane we’ve done things with small business partners,” Doherty said.

Currently, Eurmove – a moving company at 3880 Greenhouse Road Ste. W1, Houston in the Katy area – has been helping with the delivery of supplies once they’re collected.

Ben Millican, an employee at NBD Graphics who has been helping with the collection process for relief supplies, said the Katy community has been generous in its donations. During collection efforts last Saturday, Ben said the community had donated water, diapers, wet wipes, adult diapers, trash bags, food, toiletries and even a chainsaw to help the coastal communities recover.

Doherty said people have been donating money as well, either in the form of Home Depot gift cards or through the Supply Bridge Ministries donation link on its website. The option to donate items at NBD Graphics and at Bona Fitness – which is collecting items for infants and toddlers – is still available, he said.

A truck went to Lake Charles  Tuesday and another later in the week, Doherty said.

Katy Responds and Attack Poverty, two other local area nonprofits have been helping as well with gathering supplies and getting the word out, Doherty said.