By Gregory W. Wright From The Miami Times

In an urgently called community forum, a large gathering of South Florida’s Caribbean community came together to send a clear message to the people of their hurricane ravaged homelands: Help is on the way.

Moderator Francis Ragoo, a native of Trinidad, told the audience that the devastation that has taken place in the Caribbean is not about one nation over another.

“This is about the survival of the Caribbean Diaspora,” he said on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at Holy Family Episcopal Church in Miami Gardens. “It is our collective responsibility to come together as one to help everyone.”

Marlon Hill, a native of Jamaica, and an attorney with the law firm Hamilton, Miller and Birthisel, like many islanders now living in South Florida, still has family and friends throughout the Caribbean islands. Hill made a call for South Florida to mobilize to donate and send aid to the people on the islands who now have no food, water, nor homes, all which were destroyed by the recent storms.

Hill announced the establishment of the U.S. Caribbean Strong Relief Fund, the purpose of which is to organize efforts, to expedite aid to the effected islands, as well as coordinate volunteer efforts here in South Florida.

A website has been set up, www.sfcaribbeanstrong.org, to receive donations and to sign up volunteers. People with trucks and vehicles and time, who are able to pick up donations are needed. For those who donate through the website, Hill says, there will be full transparency.

“Those who donate will receive written confirmation of their tax deductible contribution,” he said, “as well as updates on the amount of funds that have been received, and how those funds have been used.”

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson sent word on efforts to aid the people of the Caribbean.

“A $9.7 billion hurricane relief funding bill was passed in early September with support of from the entire House Democratic Caucus. My staff and I had a meeting with representatives from the cruise line industry in my D.C. office, specifically Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. I am working with them to ensure affected Caribbean Islands receive supplies including food, drinking water, medical supplies, plywood, tarps, blankets and pillows. These supplies are being shipped on cruise ships and cargo planes as we speak. I hope to get all the cruise lines involved in this effort. Additionally, residents of the affected U.S. territories can be evacuated on cruise ships so that they can be reunited with family here on the mainland. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands, is on the FEMA calls every week and keeps us abreast on the needs of her constituents.”

Congresswoman Wilson went on to say that she is working with the U.S. territories, the U.S. Department of Education, the House Appropriations Committee and Florida Memorial University to make sure that college students who were displaced by the hurricanes can transfer to Florida Memorial University without any interruption in their college coursework. “We have a weekly call with FEMA to address these issues. This is an ongoing process. As travel opens back up to these islands, we will be able to better assess the damage to determine how much aid is needed to recover and rebuild.”

BLOW TO TOURISM

The devastation to the Caribbean islands means more than the loss of business from cruise ships and income from sightseeing tourist. The financial impact will have a ripple effect here in South Florida and across the nation, as the Caribbean is one of the major banking centers in the world.

Also in attendance were organizers and promoters of a number of the Caribbean-themed events held in Miami-Dade and Broward counties during this time of year, including Miami Broward Carnival.

The event promoters discussed ways their events can contribute, including setting up donation stations. “The Jerk Fest is also looking to be supportive,” said Hill.

Pastor Horace Ward of Holy Family Episcopal Church is allowing the group to hold meetings and accept donations. Shipping services are being organized to get the donated supplies to the islands where needed at no charge. However shoes and clothing are not being accepted at this time. In the past, large donations of shoes and clothing have hurt the businesses in devastated areas that sell such products, further hindering the growth of businesses in the areas.

There is need for food, water, deodorant, female products, batteries, flashlights, solar-powered phone chargers, diapers, medicines like Pepto Bismal and aspirin, tents and blankets.

“My sister island Barbuda doesn’t exist anymore,” said Desiree Barnes of the Antigua-Barbuda Association of South Florida. Prime Minister Gaston Browne, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly lamented, “The island of Barbuda is decimated. Its entire population left homeless.” The U.S. Caribbean Strong Relief Fund is administered by the Miami Foundation.

“Listen, our Caribbean family needs us,” said Hill. “Anything greater than zero, you need to give. You need to decide what you are going to give, and what you can give. We live in a hurricane disaster zone and must prepare ourselves to overcome these challenges. This means we will have to make more investments to protect our lives, communities, and our most-vulnerable citizens, here in Florida and the Caribbean region.”

For more information, go to www.sflcaribbeanstrong.org and make direct contribution to give.miamifoundation.org/caribbean. To have someone answer your call via telephone, the number to call is 305-482-3660.

IMAGE: Volunteers gathering supplies for people in the caribbean

For more on this story go to; http://www.miamitimesonline.com/business/fund-created-for-caribbean-diaspora-relief/article_a1bd6ad0-a397-11e7-b25a-0fd4f3a4e60f.html