Ten days after sending out a single e-mail for donations to help the storm-struck Philippines, Steven Barbosa has filled two containers with donations.

And if donations continue to pour in, Mr. Barbosa said he might need to find the money for a third container.

"The turn out has been great," he said. "Everybody just keeps on making donations."

On Wednesday, Mr. Barbosa went to pick up donations from Saltus Upper Primary School, only to discover that they had given too much for just one load.

Year Six teacher at Saltus, Sue Chlebek, said that the reaction from the students after hearing about the disaster was overwhelming.

"There was a mountain of items up on the stage," she said. "It was an overwhelming response from the student body."

She said a number of students had donated their old stuffed animals, knowing that they would be finding a good home.

More than 650 people in the Philippines were killed and thousands more were left homeless after the nation was struck by back-to-back typhoons, causing severe flooding and landslides.

Mr. Barbosa, who has family who live in a badly struck area, had already intended to send a container. After the storms struck, a friend asked if she could send some items in the container to help relief.

Within days, more than 100 people had donated clothes and other supplies.

Mr. Barbosa said last week that he was hoping to fill a single container by the end of yesterday, but by the end of the day the first container had been picked up and a second was nearly full.

"This is definitely not what I expected," he said. "The only issue we're having right now is financial."

While Mr. Barbosa is still collecting donations, he's now reaching out to the community for donations to help send the supplies to the Philippines.

"We're probably going to be sending out an e-mail to help us pay for a third container," he said. "The ship leaves on October 28, I believe, so I'm trying to get everything sorted out by then."

l To make a donation, contact Mr. Barbosa at 536-5704.