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Follow on Google News | South Floridians and City of Hollywood Launch Grassroots Effort To Help Alabama Tornado VictimsA small group of South Florida residents and The City of Hollywood, have started a grassroots effort to collect donations from South Floridians to provide much needed food and supplies to the people of Alabama affected by the April 27th tornadoes.
By: Zelick Gimelstein “Although the Alabama tornadoes occurred two weeks ago, food, supplies, and basic necessities are still in high demand,” said Lisa Hulsey, one of the co-founders of the South Florida effort and a Calhoun County, AL native. “I just returned from a trip delivering donated goods to Pleasant Grove, AL and saw first-hand that the devastation was worse than I could have imagined. My hometown was virtually wiped off the map. I knew I couldn’t sit idly by in the comfort of my own home (which is currently stocked with over 40 boxes of donated goods), while thousands of fellow Alabamians are left homeless and in desperate need of help. I’m hoping the residents of Broward and Miami-Dade counties and everywhere in between visit the drop off location and donate much needed items,” said project co-founder Heather Patten. The South Florida relief effort began, as most things do these days, through Facebook. Immediately after the rash of deadly storms, a group of individuals out of Auburn, AL started a grassroots organization called Toomers for Tuscaloosa whose group of volunteers began supplying those affected throughout Alabama with essential supplies, food, and clothing. They created a Facebook cause page and within days were up to thousands of “likes” and volunteers and donations were showing up in record numbers. “We wanted to help the relief effort and saw that Heather [Patten] posted on the Toomers page saying she was collecting donations out of her Plantation, FL, home. Lisa immediately reached out to her to see how we could help and coordinate a way to really make an impact. I connected with the folks at Toomers for Tuscaloosa to coordinate with an 18-wheeler truck they had already commissioned to come down to Miami. Along with the help of my company, Breakthrough Marketing Team, it’s founder Michael Giulianti (former Hollywood mayor Mara Giulianti’s son), and The City of Hollywood, we were able to lock down the former Hollywood Fashion Center site (Hollywood Blvd & US441) thanks to the generosity of its property management company, Dacar Management, LLC. We were also able to secure the required insurance for the ‘event’ thanks to a donation by Kimberly Bloom at Breakthrough Therapy Services who covered part of the cost of the certificate,” The 50 foot trailer, donated by Osborn Transportation out of Gadsden, AL, will be arriving in Miami on Thursday, May 12th 2011 to pick up a generous donation of over 10 boxes of baby and children’s clothing by the South Florida clothing company, Be Mine Collection. So, how can South Floridians help? Beginning Thursday, May 12th until it is filled, the 50 foot trailer will be located in the parking lot at the former Hollywood Fashion Center site on Hollywood Blvd & US441/SR7 (101 South State Road 7, Hollywood, FL 33023) in Hollywood, FL awaiting generous donations. Hours of Operation: Thursday, May 12th – 11am – 7pm; Friday, May 13th – 10am – 7pm; Saturday, May 14th – 10am – 7pm. Volunteers will also be needed to help load the trailer, so please contact the group at volunteer4alabama@ No donation is too small. Empty out your pantries, tool sheds, and closets, or even make a special trip to the nearest store to get much needed supplies. Remember the victims of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, when the city of Homestead was completely obliterated? Items that are desperately needed at present are: Coolers Emergency Candles, flashlights & batteries Canned or non-perishable food & snacks WATER Camping equipment Tarps, Work gloves School Supplies Bedding, Towels Feminine products Medical supplies (i.e. for the elderly wheelchairs, walkers, diabetic supplies etc) VERY IMPORTANT Baby formula, baby food, diapers Hand Sanitizers, Wet Wipes Paper products, plastic utensils Toothbrushes and toothpaste Trash bags Tools (Hammers, Chainsaws, etc.) Pet Supplies Clothing has been donated in mass quantities, though ANY donations will NOT be turned away. Gift cards will also be accepted. Monetary donations can be made to any number of churches supporting the relief effort throughout Alabama or the Red Cross. “There are no major corporate sponsors for this event. No national NPO’s behinds this,” said Hulsey. “We are just a group of concerned individuals, whose family and friends were directly affected by this disaster, who believe in the concept of ‘Paying It Forward’ and we hope all of our fellow residents here jump on board. It could have just as easily been us here in South Florida.” For updates and more info, please log on to Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/ For more information about our generous donors and to support their kindness please visit: Osborne Transportation (Truck & trailer): www.osborntransportation.com Dacar Management, LLC (Drop-off site): www.dacarmanagement.com Breakthrough Marketing Team (Public Relations & Internet Marketing): www.breakthroughmarketingteam.com Breakthrough Therapy Services (Insurance donation): www.breakthroughtherapyservices.com Be Mine Collection (Children’s Clothing): www.thisandthatforkids.com End
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