Helping the Bahamas: Group requests $20 recovery kits for island relief effort

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (FOX 13) - A relief agency based in  Polk County is asking for help to aid the victims of Hurricane Dorian.

When Dorian slammed into the Bahamas over the weekend, it was a Category 5. It ravaged homes, caused untold destruction, and took lives.

Even Dr. Ron Patterson, the founder of Christian Disaster Relief, was floored by the devastation.

“This is far beyond anything I have seen,” he told FOX 13.

Patterson has been helping people worldwide for 30 years in the wake of natural disasters, fires,  earthquakes, tsunamis and more.

CDR is asking people to help the victims of this latest tragedy by putting together recovery kits. The kits cost about $20 to make and provide critical items to people left with nothing.

A health kit would contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and other personal items. A sanitary kit would include cleaning products.

The CDR website has a complete list of kits and what they should contain: www.cdresponse.org.

“They need cleaning supplies as much as they need anything else,” long-time volunteer James Gerstman commented.

CDR is also looking for cash donations.

Eventually, as people in the Bahamas begin to recover, CDR will hand out food and groceries, and set up temporary kitchens to feed people in need.

The first load of supplies is expected to leave from Fort Lauderdale for the Bahamas around Wednesday.