Bronx Donation Drive Acquires Significant Amount of Supplies for Puerto Rico and Mexico

 

What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District

You should know that on Saturday, September 30, 2017, the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization together with Radio Vision Cristiana International and The Christian Community Benevolent Association hosted a donation drive to help the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and earthquake in Mexico City.

Throughout the day, hundreds of volunteers helped to move and pack hundreds of thousands of pounds of goods to support relief efforts for Puerto Rico and Mexico, filling six (6) shipping containers and more than two (2) dozen trucks.  So much material was donated at the event that it took two days to completely pack and move all supplies, and the National Guard was called in to help move donation off the street and transported them.

It is important for you to know that this is not the first time that we have done this kind of humanitarian relief. 

In the past, we have done the same for Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Haiti, Dominican Republic and for Puerto Rico years ago during the devastation done by Hurricane Hugo.

This time the Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz, Jr., came to the rescue and with his staff, friends and resources help make this relief effort one of the biggest ever in the City of New York.

Elected official such as Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, Assembly Members Marcos Crespo, and Luis Sepúlveda also joined with their staff and resources.

The response of the community and volunteers was so immense that an event that was supposed to be from 12:00 -5:00 pm on Saturday became so huge that by 10:00 am Aldus Street was full of donations and the activity had to be extended until 12:00 noon Sunday.

Besides the Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz, Jr., our staff and the elected officials, I have to confess and admit that the response had a magnitude that it became almost impossible for us to handle, but thanks to the immense generosity of wonderful people who came and helped us the job was well done.

The volunteer's hundreds of them were there all the time helping us pack and load the truck.

After we had packed six (6) containers (paid in full by the American Rapper Fat Joe), there were still more donations with no means to be transported. Then came Mr. Frank (Frankie) Hernandez from La Flor de Mayo Moving Co., he donated not only his staff and five (5) trucks but also he was personally helping us pack.

The day was saved by Governor Andrew Cuomo who, after a personal call to him by Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz, Jr. and Ms. Rose Rodriguez, sent more than twenty National Guard trucks and personnel to help us clean Aldus Street.

The coordination of Ms. Marlene Cintron President of the Bronx Economic Overall Development Corporation Office, Rose Rodriguez from Gov. Andrew Cuomo office, the 41st Police Precinct, the Southern Boulevard (BID), Community Planning Board #2 and many others that were part of this magnificent outpouring of benevolence to help Puerto Rico and Mexico. All these efforts must be praise and acknowledge during the Bronx hosted Donation drive for Puerto Rico and Mexico.

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.