TAMPA, Fla. — Linda Perez is doing her part to bring some relief to the Florida Panhandle.
- Puerto Rican organization helping Michael victims
- Boricuas De Corazon sending supplies to the Panhandle
- SEE BELOW: Collection sites and items needed ▼
“Everything is destroyed, really,” she said.
She founded the organization Boricuas De Corazon, Inc. last March in response to Hurricane Maria.
She's now using her connections for Hurricane Michael relief efforts.
“Right now we have 70 people, 70 volunteers,” she said.
Perez is partnering with several organizations and companies throughout the state to collect donations.
“There’s people right now that don’t have anything to eat or getting any decent dinner every single day. We need to help,” she said.
Here in the Bay area, she's organized four collection sites, like at the Cali Viejo Restaurant and Bakery in Brandon.
The goal is to send out six truckfuls of donations from Tampa to the Panhandle every Friday.
They've secured a warehouse in Tallahassee to store and distribute supplies.
“Our main goal is having like at least in every single town, have like, a campsite. Like once our truck landing there, people are expecting us with all the donations,” Perez said.
At the end of the day, Perez says it's about paying it forward.
“Now is our time as boricuas, as Puerto Rican people, that we can say ‘Hey, my hands are here for you now,’ and it’s a way to say thank you to the main community for giving back with donations before for our country,” she said.
*Centro De Ayuda Hispano
3434 W Columbus Dr. Ste. 107 Tampa, FL 33607
Drop off times: M-F 8am-5pm
*Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union
3815 N Nebraska Ave. Tampa, FL 33603
Drop off times: M-S 9am-4pm
*La Borinquena Gourmet and Latin Cuisine
9202 Anderson Rd. Tampa FL
Drop off times: Thurs-Sun 6pm-2am
*Cali Viejo Restaurant & Bakery
436 E Brandon Blvd. Brandon, FL 33511
Drop off times: M-S 7am-10pm
Items needed:
Hygienic supplies, camping gear, batteries, flashlights, tarps, ropes, bug spray, non-perishable food, diapers for kids and adults, OTC medicine, and cleaning/disinfecting products.