Florida Hospital hosts second collection drive for Puerto Rico

Posted Sunday, October 29, 2017 11:38 pm

The VOICE of Charity

Community comes together for a second time to donate thousands of canned goods, baby products, over-the-counter medicine and other supplies.

Florida Hospital, in partnership with Cox Media Group Orlando and the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, hosted a second “Blessings for Puerto Rico” collection drive, where Central Floridians showed their generous support for the ongoing Puerto Rico relief efforts by filling a total of eight 24-foot box trucks, dozens of pallets of donated items and over 40,000 meals. The items, including hundreds of prepackaged meals, bottled water, hygiene kits and baby supplies, will be shipped to the island later this week.

“The television and radio properties of Cox Media Group Orlando are honored once again to partner with Florida Hospital,” said Paul Curran, market vice president for CMG Orlando. “The second Blessings for Puerto Rico event will supply much needed relief to the people of Puerto Rico who continue to be severely impacted by this historic storm.”

Items will be shipped via 45-foot long containers and distributed in Puerto Rico by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. The shipping containers will then be converted into housing in Puerto Rico for those who have been misplaced.

“The need Puerto Ricans are still facing is critical,” said Daryl Tol, president and CEO of Florida Hospital and Central Florida Division – Adventist Health System. “It’s been heartwarming to see our community rally together and come out time after time to help them back on their feet as they recover and rebuild.”

The list of needed items was created by Florida Hospital emergency physician teams who were on the island for nearly a month, in conjunction with response agencies and health care organizations. Four teams of doctors provided critical care and assistance to local physicians, while also assessing the island’s overall health needs.

The Blessings for Puerto Rico collection drives couldn’t have been possible without the support of all our partners, donors, more than 300 volunteers, members of the 501st Legion — an organization that has spread the magic of the Star Wars genre worldwide — characters who rallied the crowd as they drop-off donation items and all those who graciously donated.