The number of people who have died from the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri now stands at 126. More than 900 people suffered injuries in Sunday's tornado. Also, more than 200 people are still listed as missing. The storm is now considered the nation's single-deadliest tornado in 60 years. Thousands of homes are damaged or destroyed. Volunteers have been arriving from all over the country, to help cleanup. Now a group from Lexington is about to join the efforts, and this is one group who is no stranger to hardship.

If there's one thing that guests at the Community Inn homeless shelter know it's that pain is pain. William Day has been homeless since January, but at a time when no one could blame him for focusing on his own needs, he volunteered for a relief mission to Joplin to help tornado victims. "Them people need help," Day said, "Yes, I'm homeless, but I feel I should go as my human obligation, go and help them."

He's not alone. Before Helen Douglass lost her home she gained valuable experience in disaster relief. "I've seen the destruction," Douglass said, "I've seen the hurricanes in Miami, Florida. Now through up here, and we donated our time down there, so why not do it up here? I mean, it's nothing but right to give back."

For the past several months, Ginny Ramsey with the Catholic Action Center has spearheaded the effort to make the Community Inn a success. She says by addressing the immediate needs of food and shelter, the center has rejuvenated its guests and awakened their own spirit of giving. "When they see a chance where they know they could be accepted, they know they could help, they know they could make a difference, my goodness, we've got to give them that opportunity," Ramsey said, "because we really think it's life-changing for all of us to give to each other, not just to be the recipient, to be able to be the giver."

"These people have gone through more than what I could dream of," Day said, "and my heart goes out to them."

WKYT is partnering with the Catholic Action Center, Christian Appalachian Project and Operation Sharing for "Joplin Tornado Relief."

You can help by donating non-perishable food, bottled water, baby items, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene products. Drop them off at Walmart in Hamburg anytime between 9:00am Saturday and 9:00pm Monday.

Some of the most needed items include: work gloves, flashlights, batteries, air mattresses, clear packing tape, paper plates, peanut butter, jelly, toilet paper, socks, and large underwear.