For the past two months, Operation Compassion has been busy delivering disaster relief products to those areas stricken by mammoth hurricanes from the Texas Gulf Coast to the outer reaches of the Caribbean. The total number of trucks delivering supplies has reached 119 for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
“In Houston, survivors are still reeling from the epic disaster Hurricane Harvey created,” stated Dave Lorency, president of Operation Compassion. “While other areas were affected, Houston took the brunt of Harvey’s fury inundating the city with unprecedented flood waters. Forty-seven trucks have been delivered with others being staged and prepared.”
Lorency explained that when Hurricane Irma hit Florida, no one was sure what to expect. Some coastal areas were hit harder than others, but the damage was significant from the east to the west coast. Operation Compassion has delivered 38 trucks to the survivors throughout Florida as they continue to repair and rebuild their lives.
“As with any storm but especially a hurricane, responding begins with being able to quickly deliver products and that is usually a problem with islands in the Caribbean,” Lorency continued. “The bigger and more severe the hurricane the level of difficulty increases. This was the situation for Hurricanes Irma and Maria as they barreled through the Caribbean as category 5 hurricanes wreaking havoc that has not been experienced in decades. Disaster relief is ongoing in Puerto Rico, Tortola and other islands and Operation Compassion has delivered 37 trucks/containers to aid the survivors. Shortly after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, Operation Compassion sent four trucks by plane and has sent 21 – 40’ containers of relief aid.
“Obviously, the ongoing efforts to help put these locations back together and prepare survivors for a new normalcy of life will take some time,” Lorency concluded. “Some areas are further along than others, but the devastation will linger.”
Operation Compassion is committed to continue to help beyond the disaster relief stage, which is the rebuilding, and is sending trucks loaded with tile to Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean as this process begins. They continue to need everyone to financially partner with them.
To help support Operation Compassion, please give online to www.operationcompassion.org, call donations to 423.728.3932, or by mail, Operation Compassion, 114 Stuart Road, NE PMB 370, Cleveland, TN 37312.