The city of North Miami Beach is holding a disaster relief drive for Central Americans affected by recent hurricanes.
On top of all the other challenges it brought, 2020 was also a record-breaking hurricane season, with 30 named storms spread out over seven months. Hurricanes Eta and Iona, Category 4 and 5 storms respectively, both struck Central America and the Caribbean in November, with Honduras and Nicaragua being particularly damaged.
However, the aftermath of the storms have seen people from around the world coming together in support of those affected by the storms. Hundreds of millions of dollars in donations have been raised by organizations looking to help recover and rebuild.
North Miami Beach, home to a large population of residents with Caribbean and Central American backgrounds, is joining in the efforts with a drive for non-perishable goods and other essentials. Items in demand include household staples like water, canned food, toothpaste, baby formula, blankets, batteries, and toys for children, as well as larger items like portable toilets and radios. Donated goods will be distributed throughout the regions affected. Drives like these, often raising awareness through tools like flyer printing, can be a major part of the response to natural disasters.
The relief effort launched in late November, and goods are now being accepted at four locations around North Miami Beach, including City Hall and the NMB Library.
