Here's How You Can Help Hurricane Relief in the Bahamas
Hurricane Dorian slammed into the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane last week, hovering over the islands for 36 hours and bringing devastating winds and rain. Now, as the islands begin to start the recovery process, local organizations are rising up to help provide relief. Here are several spots, from Bradenton to Venice, where you can drop off supplies; we'll keep this list updated, so check back frequently.
Florida Suncoast for the Northern Bahamas
2005 58th Ave. Circle E., Bradenton
Organized by native Bahamian and Sarasota resident Thomas Bethel and his family, this group aims to act as a centralized location for local residents looking to donate supplies to those affected by Hurricane Dorian. Donations can be dropped off Monday-Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2005 58th Ave. Circle E., Bradenton; the 10,000-square-foot warehouse space has been donated to the group by Yellowfin Yachts and Solomon Construction. Florida Suncoast for the Northern Bahamas is delivering items via freight to ports on the East Coast, which will then be shipped to the northern Bahamas and distributed to those in need. Find details, hours and a list of supplies needed here.
CAN Community Health, Sarasota Military Academy, Rectrix Aerodrome Center, Two Men and a Truck, Angel Flight Southeast and Gold Aviation
4440 Fruitville Road, Sarasota
CAN Community Health along with Sarasota Military Academy, Rectrix Aerodrome Center, Two Men and a Truck, Angel Flight Southeast and Gold Aviation are working to collect supplies. Donated items will be accepted at CAN Community Health’s national headquarters, at 4440 Fruitville Road in Sarasota, and later distributed to the Bahamian islands affected by the storm. Transportation of materials from Sarasota to Fort Lauderdale will be provided by Two Men and a Truck, and the donations will be carried by aircraft to the Bahamas through both Angel Flight Southeast and Gold Aviation. For more information, click here.
Alyssa Gay Consulting
As an effort to aid the Bahamas' Green Turtle Club, which is facilitating relief for Green Turtle Cay, Alyssa Gay Consulting is working with local businesses establish donation drop-off points, which will then be collected and taken to Aviation Warehouse in West Palm Beach this Saturday, Sept. 14, for delivery to the Bahamas. More information, drop-off locations and needed supplies, can be found here.
Agape Flights
100 Airport Ave. E., Venice
Agape Flights, a Venice-based Christian aviation ministry, is flying supplies to the Bahamas and helping with evacuations. The organization plans to make several relief flights to the islands in the coming weeks; it will drop off items with partners at a staging site in Eleuthera, which will assist evacuees from Grand Bahamas and Abacos. To find out more information, make a donation and see a full list of supplies needed, click here; the organization hopes to have all items collected and ready to go by Thursday, Sept. 12. (Note that bottled water, liquid bleach, clothing, medications and linens cannot be accepted.)
Compound Boardshop
3604 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota
This Osprey Avenue surf shop is partnering with local resident Kelly Drost to get supplies to the Bahamas via Agape Flights. The store will act as a drop-off location for supplies; items will be transported to Agape Flights, which will deliver them to Abacos and Grand Bahama. (Note that bottled water, liquid bleach, clothing, medications and linens cannot be accepted.) Click here for more information.