The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is causing local residents and businesses to open their pocket books to assist those impacted by the deadly storm.

Victims are receiving a variety of items from the DeKalb area, such as diapers, medicines, hygiene products, clothing, food and water, as well as a significant amount of money raised by several local businesses.

One DeKalb resident put his life on hold locally to help victims and traveled several hours to the disaster area to deliver many items he collected in two days standing at the doorway of Wal-Mart, 2300 Sycamore Road.

“We left last Sunday morning at 5 a.m. and drove 17 hours to Mississippi, and the residents badly needed the articles that we had,” DeKalb resident Paul Jerde said. “The area that we were in had six feet of water in the houses, and you could see the contents of the houses.”

Jerde and his crew took the items donated from residents and all monetary donations went to the American National Bank of DeKalb and Castle Bank.

The American National Bank of DeKalb collected donations for about two weeks thanks to the help of four employees who started a relief fund.

Steve Latimer, Rose Sollinger, Tonda Bruch and David Wood have raised $950, and funds are still coming in.

“We have it open to the general public, and so far mostly customers have been donating,” lending assistant Brandee Johnson said. “We have signs on the doors to let people know that we are taking donations. We aren’t expecting a certain amount, we are more going about it with the attitude of any little bit would help,”

In mid-October the bank will hand over the donations to the Red Cross. The money will be distributed to the areas hit hardest in New Orleans and Mississippi.

The American Red Cross, 2727 Sycamore Road, Suite 2A, is in the process of helping evacuees by doing casework with victims to find out what they need.

“We are still raising money, but so far in a ballpark figure, we have raised about $50,000,” said Red Cross regional director Karen Remen.

While local residents and businesses take donations, the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice has a different type of donation that does not go directly to the victims of Katrina, but to the eight caravan trucks driving to the disaster area to deliver donated items.

“So far we have raised $600 for the trucks, and we have quite a ways to go,” said Cecile Meyer, co-coordinator for the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice. “We were planning on receiving $5,000 by this weekend.”

Donations are still being taken and can be mailed to the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice, Memorial Park, First Street and Lincoln Highway, DeKalb Ill., 60115.