“Mattress Mack” McIngvale, the longtime Houston furniture store owner known for his high-octane TV commercials, has turned two of his stores into shelters and organized volunteers and trucks to rescue fellow Texans.
McIngvale, who graduated from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas in 1969, is well-known in Houston for his charitable work.
For more than 20 years, he has donated rooms of furniture to families in need at Christmas, according to KENS-TV.
After he posted an announcement on Facebook Sunday opening his stores to anyone in need of shelter, food and more, the response was overwhelming.
On Monday, a note posted on Facebook said they’d reached capacity at both stores and it urged evacuees to go to the George R. Brown Convention Center for shelter. Then on Tuesday, the company said space was again available at the Grand Parkway store.
McIngvale told KENS that the Houston community has always supported him in tough times and that this was his way of giving back.
“I was raised as a Catholic. I continued my Catholic faith throughout my life, trying to do the right thing and hopefully, you do the right thing and you can help people along the way,” McIngvale said.
It’s not the first time McIngvale has offered shelter after a storm. In 2005, he provided a roof for 200 evacuees who fled New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Tom Uhler: 817-390-7832, @tomuh
This story was originally published August 29, 2017 11:55 AM.