COCONUT CREEK, Fla. — While hurricane season is only just beginning, preparations at Food For The Poor started months ago.
In fact, the nonprofit organization began planning for this year’s emergency response efforts last November, carefully determining what supplies communities will need when disaster strikes.
When hurricanes make landfall, they often leave widespread destruction in their wake. Powerful winds and flooding can quickly cut off access to basic necessities, making emergency supplies critical for survival.
That’s why Food For The Poor focuses heavily on “pre-positioning” — strategically placing emergency supplies in vulnerable regions before a storm arrives. The organization stocks pallets with essential items such as wipes, gloves, blankets, women’s care kits, flashlights, tarps and diapers.
Kivette Silvera, of Food For The Poor, has witnessed firsthand the challenges communities face after major storms, including Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
“You may not be able to have a blanket, a sheet that is dry. And the blankets within these kits will be able to provide warmth to a mother and her children,” Silvera said.
She explained that flooded roads, mud-covered terrain and damaged infrastructure can make it nearly impossible for relief organizations to reach affected areas quickly.
“Pre-planning can be the difference between life and death,” Silvera said.
At Food For The Poor’s Coconut Creek headquarters, pallets of emergency supplies are already being prepared for shipment to countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Typically, seven pallets of supplies are sent to each location. The organization’s disaster preparedness efforts focus on approximately 10 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, regions that are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Kyle Morris, of Food For The Poor, said the pre-positioned supplies are especially important during the first critical days following a disaster.
“These supplies are crucial for the first 24-to 72-hour window when a hurricane does hit,” Morris said. “It helps to buy that time for more lifesaving aid to come in.”
Food For The Poor has been providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance for four decades. Those interested in supporting the organization’s hurricane preparedness and emergency response efforts can learn more or make a donation at FoodForThePoor.org.
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