After Hurricane Harvey touched down in the Houston area, a local business man opened his stores to his neighbors in need and has helped hundreds.
Jim McIngvale, who goes by “Mattress Mack,” opened his Gallery Furniture stores up for people who needed to take shelter. McIngvale spread the message through social media inviting people into his stores and to use his store’s moving trucks to help rescue efforts, even allowing pets into his stores as long as they caged and by their owners’ sides.
“Being together in a space is helpful for all of us. People don’t feel like they’re on their own,” McIngvale told TIME.
His stores have filled up, housing about 400 people, HuffPost reported. McIngvale is now encouraging people to go to the George R. Brown Convention Center.
On Sunday, about 200 people were rescued as people used 10 of his 15 moving trucks. It’s not the first time he’s made efforts to help in a tragedy. McIngvale opened two of his stores during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as well, TIME reported.
“There is a lot of heartbreak, but the people have great spirits and are getting better,” McIngvale told TIME.
