T-shirt fundraiser money goes directly to people in need

Two Noblesville businesses have teamed up to directly help people in Hamilton County who were affected by the flood. Schwartz’s Bait & Tackle, 118 Cicero Road, and T&T Sales and Promotions, 15320 Herriman Blvd., are taking donations, 100 percent of which will go directly to the people who need it.

If you make a donation, you will get a commemorative T-shirt to remind everyone not of the flood itself, but of how this fine community came together to help the people who needed it most.

Scott Fihma of T&T Sales and Promotions told The Reporter his company designed the shirts and is donating them at no cost.

Steve and Lori Schwartz told The Reporter they are collecting the money, handing out shirts, and personally making sure all the funds collected will go to people who need it.

While the bait shop did suffer damage in the flood, none of the money will go to the shop.

“This is for people that need help,” Steve Schwartz said. “We can buy boxes from U-Haul at cost – U-Haul’s cost, not our cost, but their cost. If people need to repack their belongings in new boxes, we’ll just deliver them to their house or they can come pick them up. That’ll be what some of the money’s raised for. But it’d just be, what do you say, person by person and just see what they need. We’ll just try to get them what we can and help them financially.”

That financial help will vary depending on what individual families need. It may be in the form of gift cards for groceries, paying bills, or other forms of assistance determined on a case-by-case basis.

Families who have to move out of their existing home, but don’t yet know where they will relocate, can also have some free storage time to help with the transition.

“U-Haul did say for those that have been affected, they will give them one month of free storage,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz stressed that all the money will go to help people. It is not being donated to a third-party organization, so there are no administrative fees. People in the community are donating money, T&T is donating the shirts, the Schwartzes are donating their time and logistics work.

“We are getting it directly to the people,” Schwartz said. “The people that want to help, they’re going to get a token, if you would. They’re going to get a t-shirt. and it’ll show that they’re a big community supporter.”

Stop by Schwartz’s Bait & Tackle, 118 Cicero Road, Noblesville, to make a donation and get a shirt in the color and size of your choice. Then wear it around Hamilton County and when people ask about it, tell them about the donation drive and how they too can help.

And for all your custom t-shirts, branded merchandise, spirit wear, corporate apparel, and more, go to T&T Sales and Promotions, 15320 Herriman Blvd., Noblesville. You can also visit them online at tntsalespromo.com or call (317) 774-7106.