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ITNAC’S Janelle Cox Douglas and Ron Douglas of Taraji Foundation sorting supplies sent to Grenada, St Vincenr and the Grenadines by ITNAC & Response Caribbean – Photo courtesy Avonelle Hector Joseph
ON July 15, the NGO Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) will be going to the islands affected by Hurricane Beryl with supplies needed for relief. This will be its seventh trip since the passage of the hurricane.
Founder Avonelle Hector Joseph said between July 9 and 13, a team from ITNAC went to Grenada, Carriacou, St Vincent, Bequia, Union Island and Mayreau.
“We had 450 tarpaulins each from the Grenada side and the St Vincent side. We would have gotten those from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) from its EU funding.
“We received tarpaulins, solar lamps, and indoor tents. We had food, water, toiletries that we would have shipped from Trinidad and Tobago collected through donations, as well as additional donations of tarpaulins.
“Our work is continuous, as we try not to go there for just a few days and leave.”
She said in addition to the trip on July 15, ITNAC was working on putting together a team to offer psychosocial support.
“This was one of the things that came out of the meeting of the Vincentian PM (Dr Ralph Gonsalves), so we’re working on that. We would have met with him on July 14 and on July 13 I would have spoken with the Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Family Affairs, Housing and Informal Settlement Dr Orando Brewster.”
She appealed people to donate what they could.
“We need tarpaulins, as a lot of roofs are gone; food; finances so we can buy building materials, etc. Jamaica is asking for help as well.
“We know it’s very early in the season, but we’re asking people not to get weary in donating as much as they can. We know people have their personal challenges, but where they can, certainly it would help us do this.”
Avonelle Hector Joseph with Caricome Private Sector Organization (CPSO) CEO and Technical Director Dr Patrick Antoine – Photo courtesy Avonelle Hector Joseph
Hector Joseph said ITNAC was co-ordinating with the Council of Churches in Jamaica to send relief supplies.
“They have been charged by the government with the responsibility to assess needs and see how best they can assist with getting supplies to people in the different constituencies. We’re waiting for an update from them. Unfortunately, shipping is not as cheap and as easy as from St Vincent or Grenada.”
The organisation will send a 40-foot container to Jamaica. It is appealing for volunteers, transport, tarpaulins, building supplies, food items, toiletries, baby supplies, new underwear and cleaning supplies.
ITNAC said people should indicate if they want their donations to go to Jamaica.
For more information, find ITNAC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/itnactt.
The Caricom Private Sector Organization (CPSO), in a release on July 5, commended the relief response by the regional private sector as support poured in for the Caricom states of Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica which were affected by Hurricane Beryl. The ongoing response effort resulted in several shipments of critical relief and aid provisions from the private sector leaving Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St Lucia, Dominica, and other countries. Additional shipments are scheduled to continue this weekend and over the coming weeks.
CPSO CEO and technical director Dr Patrick Antoine lauded the overwhelming response of the regional private sector.
In an update to a virtual meeting of the Caribbean Development Partners Group (CDPG) hosted by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Antoine said, “The support we have been able to muster across Caricom has been important. Everyone has been onboard and working seamlessly in solidarity, and the aid provided to date has been critical. This support will continue to be critical in the coming days as emergency-response organisations
assess and update the needs requirements for all of the impacted countries. We urge the private sector to continue for as long as possible to help our brothers and sisters across the region recover and rebuild.”
Eslyn Thomas of Nazarene Compassion (in black ) in pink and Janelle Cox Douglas of Taraji FoundationIn Bequia with tents, solar lamps and tarpaulins donated by IOM/EU, along with toys and colouring books for physcosocial support for the children –
How to help:
General donations
Republic Bank 510009446803
(Acct name: Is There Not a Cause)
Cashapp – $marionskeete
Donations for upcoming trip
Republic 510009446802
Donations for Jamaica
1 868 394-2042.
[email protected]
Republic Bank -510009446803
(Acct name: Is There Not a Cause)
Cashapp – $marionskeete
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