Huntington To Collect Donations, Funds For Puerto Rico

The Town of Huntington will be collecting donations and funds to provide support for victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Residents will be able to drop off specific supplies (scroll down for list) at the Huntington Opportunity Resource Center, located at 1264 New York Ave., or donate funds to the American Red Cross Hurricane Maria relief effort directly through the Town’s website or here.

“We have always responded, and I am absolutely confident that the people in our community will respond to support people who critically need these supplies to survive," Councilwoman Tracey Edwards, who announced the efforts on Tuesday, said in a press release. "We are asking all Town of Huntington residents, both businesses and our community members, to help.”

Items needed include:

• Bottled water
• Batteries
• Flashlights
• Portable lanterns
• Diapers
• Baby wipes
• Feminine hygiene products

Items may be dropped off at the resource center during normal business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. After hours donations may be made by appointment, by calling Edwards’ office at 631-351-3175.

Watch: Trump Arrives In Storm-Ravaged Puerto Rico

The Town has partnered with the Long Island Hispanic Business Roundtable for this project. Edwin Perez, of the Long Island Hispanic Business Roundtable, reached out to Liberty Moving and Storage, which agreed to pick up the items collected at the resource center and deliver them to a central facility in Hauppauge, which is overseen by the New York National Guard as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York Stands with Puerto Rico initiative.

“These people really need a lot of things” Rosa Moya, of Latinos Unidos de Huntington, said. “People are panicked. They are getting very frustrated. If we can do something for them, trust me, it will be very appreciated. This is the time we need to step up for Puerto Rico.”

From the Town of Huntington:

The Red Cross reports that nearly 400 Red Cross workers in Puerto Rico are helping to reconnect families and distribute critical relief supplies, including food and water. International Red Cross workers are restoring connectivity for people impacted by the hurricane and for humanitarian workers on the ground, installing satellites that are enabling Puerto Ricans to reconnect with family members, charge their phones and access information. The satellites and technology also help aid workers as they coordinate relief efforts.

In coordination with government and non-profit partners, the Red Cross is helping to distribute water, ready-to-eat meals, fresh fruit and vegetables, tarps and comfort kits. Emergency distribution of water has been provided to several vulnerable communities which were running out of water. The Red Cross has already mobilized more than 250 tractor-trailer loads of relief supplies to help Puerto Rico. Red Cross teams are also assessing what communities need, and providing health and mental health services.

The Red Cross has provided more than 1,000 blood and platelet products to help hospitals the Red Cross does not typically supply. These supplies are in addition to ongoing blood product distributions to Red Cross hospital partners in Puerto Rico.

Image via Town of Huntington