Several fishing businesses and groups in the Florida and Gulf Coast region are collecting donations to assist Bahamas areas and residents affected by Hurricane Matthew.
Hurricane Matthew, which hit Haiti and the Bahamas before reaching Florida’s East Coast, resulted in more than 1,000 deaths from impacted areas in the Caribbean and southeastern United States. Winds in some Bahamas locations reached as high as 100 miles per hour.
Below is information about some of the regional relief efforts and how to help those affected by the storm.
• Southern Marine Supply will accept food and supplies for Bahamas residents from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day up until Thursday, Oct. 13 at 2600 SW 3rd Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The group will deliver donations Friday to churches and food pantries in Grand Bahama — from Old Bahama Bay to Lucaya. If you do not live in the South Florida area, the organization set up a GoFundMe page for monetary donations. The deadline is 6 p.m. Thursday. As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, the campaign had raised more than $1,750.
The organization noted canned food, baby food, water and rehydration drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade as high priority. The group listed a number of other supplies in high demand: medical supplies, including gauze, bandages and antiseptic; bug spray and citronella candles to defend against mosquitos; diapers and baby wipes; feminine products; wet wipes; tarp; canvas; garbage bags, paper plates, cups, napkins and plastic utensils; matches and lighters; and tools, such as tarps, nails, duct tape, hammers, rope, batteries, flashlights, generators, power cords, air mattresses; batteries, especially D batteries; and boxes or containers to organize supplies.
• The “Stop Off & Drop Off for Bahamas” Facebook page urged members and boat owners to plan stops in affected areas to deliver building supplies to residents. The list of suggested items can be found on the group’s Facebook page.
• DayMaker Charters is accepting donations at the Stuart Jet Center, at 2501 SE Aviation Way in Stuart, Florida, and stressed on its Facebook page it needs more volunteers to help efforts at the location.
The company has been sending supplies — clothes, cots, water, food, baby items and medical supplies — to the Bahamas since Sunday.
• Islamorada Beer Company, of Fort Pierce, Florida, is requesting boat captains to help its relief efforts and asking for boats to help deliver supplies to affected areas. The company will have a relief collection event from noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14. The business will give $2 of every beer sold to supplies and is accepting supplies and requesting volunteers — pilots, boat captains, heavy electrical contractors and line workers. Donations centers are located at 4695 SE Dixie Highway in Stuart and 3200 St. Lucie Blvd. in Fort Pierce. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
• Yacht Ohana, in the British Virgin Islands, is collecting shelf-stable food, drinking water, flashlights and batteries to help the Bahamas Red Cross efforts. Supplies and food can be dropped off at Yacht Ohana’s Fort Lauderdale location, at 801 Seabreeze Blvd. Visit the organization’s Facebook page for more information.
