Here’s how you can help Puerto Rico

Adrianna Lebron-Garcia and Anamar Naish, the two women now leading an 800-strong relief effort for Puerto Rican hurricane victims, were strangers before Sept. 21.

But both have family on the hurricane-damaged island. Both were stunned by the sheer scale of destruction they saw on the news. Both knew they needed to help however they could.

Naish created a Facebook event to collect donations, and Lebron-Garcia created a group. When each became aware of the other's presence, a partnership seemed natural.

“We just talked every day, every hour of the day, talking about what we needed to make (relief) work,” Lebron-Garcia, a marketing researcher with P&G, said.

Cincinnati for PR had collected $3,175 by Thursday night and set up 20 drop-off locations for nonperishable goods around the Greater Cincinnati area.

“It’s our little contribution,” Lebron-Garcia said. “Whatever we can do from here.”

Interested in helping? Here are two upcoming donation drives:

  • Today, Sept. 30: Donations will be collected from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Susanna Catholic Church, 500 Reading Road in Mason
  • Oct. 7: Donations will be collected from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Missio Dei Church at the Essex Studios, 2511 Essex Place in Cincinnati

Items being collected at both events include:

  • Nonperishable food
  • Bottled water
  • Baby Formula
  • Baby Wipes
  • Diapers
  • Canned and dry pet food
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Mosquito repellant
  • Batteries
  • Flashlights
  • Blankets
  • Clothes
  • Laundry detergent
  • Feminine hygeine products
  • Trash bags
  • Animal crates

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