The $806 million, 58,000-member St. Anne's Credit Union in Fall River, Mass., has responded quickly to the crisis to its south.

Employees found a drop-off destination at Nissan World in nearby Dartmouth, Mass., and also found out Monday night that they had one day to meet the truck's departure deadline of Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a trip to hard-hit Union Beach in New Jersey.

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“Coordinators of this drive were in awe on Wednesday morning when they saw the outcome of donations – employees raised nearly $500, and there were nearly 50 bags and boxes full of much-needed items,” said Kelly Baldwin, St. Anne's CU marketing coordinator.

They included winter items such as hats, gloves, scarves and jackets, along with household items, blankets, hygiene products, non-perishable food items, “even school supplies for the children that lost it all,” Baldwin said.

“One particular employee specified that in lieu of any birthday gifts on that day, she would like the money donated to the victims,” Baldwin added.

She said the credit union is coordinating another drive to give employees more time to get items together to donate for next week.