Two local charitable organizations are conducting a fundraiser to provide children affected by Hurricane Agatha a backpack full of school supplies.
It’s been over a year since Agatha made landfall just west of Puerto Ángel as a Category 2 hurricane. Specialists described it as the strongest hurricane to make landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the month of May since record keeping began in 1949.
The storm weakened rapidly as it moved inland, dissipating soon after. But the ensuing heavy rain triggered landslides and flash flooding, killing at least nine people and leaving six missing. Total losses were estimated to be at least US $50 million.
Now, Sembrando Buenas Semillas (SBS) and Helping Hands plan to deliver brand-new backpacks full of supplies to children in the affected communities and other under-resourced locations around Puerto.
SBS focused on children with its first campaign in 2016, “Sembrando una mochila para un buen futuro” (planting a backpack for a good future).
What started with small donations of five to 10 backpacks at a time turned into 600 backpacks the year before the pandemic.
After a three-year pause – during which the organizations focused on setting up a food bank and providing disaster relief – the backpack campaign is back on track.
SBS and Helping Hands are accepting donations of 500 pesos (US $30), an amount that will sponsor a young student with a new backpack full of supplies, just in time for the start of the school year on August 28.
The organizations are also accepting smaller donations in kind: backpacks, school supplies, toys and clothing.
Donations can be made online at the organization’s Fundrazr page, while information about delivering in-kind donations can be found at SBS and Helping Hands’ Facebook pages.
El Sol de Puerto
