October 18, 2005 > Local businessman organizes hurricane relief

by Venkat Raman

Raj Patel, owner of the Postal Annex in Warm Springs, has leveraged his business facilities as well as his social contacts to accomplish a much needed clothing drive for the benefit of hurricane victims. Noting that the aftermath of Katrina generated a large cash flow nationwide toward the relief of victims, and heeding the call for clothes put out by American Red Cross, Patel decided to organize the drive.

Through his contacts in Rotary clubs of Fremont, he was able to collect various items including clothing, diapers and shoes. He used his business location to store the donated materials and contributed packaging to prepare 3500 pounds of materials for shipment. Transportation of these boxes from Patel's Warm Springs storefront to the American Red Cross distribution center in Mobile, Ala., valued at more than $12,000, was donated by FedEx. The drive took about three weeks from start to finish.

Patel is also looking into doing a similar relief effort for the victims of the recent earthquake in Pakistan.

In appreciation of the transportation donation by FedEx, Patel is offering to charge a flat fee of $10 for any FedEx overnight letter package shipped from his Warm Springs store to anywhere in the U.S. during the entire month of October.

Postal Annex
46309C Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont
(510) 445-1528