Two weeks after the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti, the Longwood-based organization United Hispanic Construction Workers Inc. on Dawson Street loaded a truck worth of urgently needed materials to send to the survivors.
Volunteers donated money to the organization to help acquire boxes of bottled water, canned goods, medical supplies, and personal hygiene kits.
A truck dispatched by musician Wyclef Jean’s aid organization Yele Haiti arrived on Dawson Street to collect the donated goods a day after receiving a phone call from the Longwood group.
“All the other organizations just wanted money,” said Carmen Tirado-Rodriguez, who led the local donor drive.
“Suppose there are warehouses full of stuff (for the survivors), where do you send this?” Tirado-Rodriguez said. “Imagine all of those people having things they want to donate, but don’t have money. What do they do?”
Groups wishing to make donations to survivors of the earthquake can access Yele Haiti’s website at http://yele.org/earthquake-relief.
The Red Cross is not currently accepting donated goods, but is accepting cash to be used to buy food and supplies for the survivors. Their website is http://www.redcross.org/, or you can call them at 1-800-redcross (1-800-733-2767).