New Jersey is answering the call to assist Texas as the state deals with record-breaking amounts of rain from Hurricane Harvey.

MORE: How you can help Harvey victims

Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday approved a National Guard deployment plan, which gives New Jersey the ability to provide aid to the Lone Star State. A dozen Army National Guard members from New Jersey headed down Wednesday to Memphis, Tennessee, where they’ll stay the night and then fly Thursday to Texas to assist in the rescue efforts.

“We're hoping we have one aircraft that is hoist qualified and one crew as well. And they'll be able to get out and do some of the hoists and rescuing people. The other aircraft will be moving people and supplies around which is still important,” Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Chris Walaszek said.

The National Guard will supplement the deployment of a New Jersey Office of Emergency Management team that arrived in Texas Tuesday.

“Our urban search and rescue team has been sent to Houston to help with evacuations,” the governor said. “Our state police have a ton of experience.”

The 16-member OEM Task Force are volunteers who are specially trained in water search and rescue.

Four New Jersey Red Cross volunteers also left Tuesday morning in two emergency response vehicles. They will join the 19 other New Jersey Red Cross volunteers already in Texas.

“We’ll be feeding. We actually have food in the ERV that we’re giving out,” says volunteer Bruce Kosensky. “Once residents are allowed back in we will drive around to give them food, water, supplies, stuff like that.”

Many of the volunteers heading to Texas include firefighters, police officers, doctors and engineers.

Meanwhile back in the Garden State, several donation sites, including Windmill Hot Dogs in Long Branch,  have been established where people can drop off items for survivors of Harvey in Texas.

The Deal Police Department, along with several Jersey Shore businesses, are coordinating the effort called Convoy of Hope. Organizers said they hope to fill up a trailer with supplies to send to Texas.

They're asking for a variety of items, such as new socks, T-shirts, canned food, cleaning products and baby wipes.

Donations are being accepted at all Windmill locations, as well as Taste the Cakes and Ice Cream on South Street in Freehold and SeaCoast Chevrolet on Sunset Avenue in Ocean Township.

How to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims
American Red Cross Website
Call: 1-800-RED CROSS
Or Text Harvey to the number 90999
Save the Children
The Salvation Army
North American Mission Board
Heart to Heart International