Church to collect supplies for Puerto Rico

St. Mary Parish officials began collecting baby-related and feminine products Friday to send to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria caused extensive damage in the U.S. territory, leaving many residents without essential items.

Items needed include diapers, non-perishable baby formula, baby wipes, bottles and nipples, and feminine care products, said Duval Arthur, St. Mary Parish homeland security and emergency preparedness director.

The location to drop off these items in the Tri-City area is at Bethel Pentecostal Fellowship’s warehouse, located at 206 Enterprise Ave. in Patterson.

Organizers will probably have the drop-off location set up to where people can drive through the warehouse to donate items even during rain, said the Rev. Marty Harden of Bethel Pentecostal.

The hours of collection will be from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-noon Saturday.

Officials plan to collect items through Oct. 11.

Donations of those baby-related items and feminine products will be greatly appreciated, Arthur said.

Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico Sept. 20, killing at least 16 people and leaving nearly all 3.4 million people on the island without power and most without water, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

“Those people down there are in dire straits right now,” Arthur said.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has directed the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to lead a statewide donation drive to help Hurricane Maria survivors in Puerto Rico, according to a news release.

Maria’s hurricane force winds whipped through the island and knocked out most forms of communication, while heavy rain caused severe flooding and has put a major dam at risk of failure. Thousands have been left without power or access to basic survival provisions like food, water and medication, the release said.

Edwards appealed to all of Louisiana’s parish homeland security and emergency preparedness directors to help collect supplies throughout the state to send to Puerto Rico, Arthur said.

“They’re getting food and water brought to Puerto Rico, but they’re exhausted as far as baby food and stuff goes,” Arthur said. “They’re trying to get us to pick up as much as we can so that they’re going to pick it up from here and fly it to Puerto Rico.”

Anyone with questions on donating items may contact Arthur at 337-828-4100, ext. 135.