As Puerto Rico continues to experience a series of earthquakes and aftershocks, a western Massachusetts nonprofit is working to bring much-needed items to the island.
The Gandara Center is organizing a statewide donation drive to support earthquake victims.
Jade Rivera-McFarlin said bottled water, flashlights and batteries are among the basic necessities in short supply.
“Toiletries, food, baby supplies. We also found there's a need for sleeping arrangements like tents, cots and mosquito nets,” she said.
Rivera-McFarlin and other workers at the Gandara Center will travel to Puerto Rico the week of January 27 and deliver supplies and monetary donations directly to groups on the ground.
“It's very important to us that we make sure it gets into the right hands, so we'll buy supplies that they need with some of that money,” she said. “And then also we'll give that to different organizations to be able to assist the people in the ways that they need as the situation continues.”
The Gandara Center has drop-off locations in West Springfield and Holyoke, as well as Fitchburg, East Boston, Brockton and New Bedford.
