Triangle mobilizes to help with disaster relief

GARNER, North Carolina (WTVD) -- More than 2,200 miles away from Mexico City, La Grande radio station is trying to help those digging out of the rubble after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake crumbled buildings and killed more than 200 people.

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"When I see the buildings fall down and some people scream, you can feel it," La Grande owner Angel Colon said on Wednesday at his station in Garner.

He and his DJ, Raymundo Ruiz, are collecting contact information from people living in the Triangle with family in Mexico City. They hope to collect supplies and deliver them directly to those in need.

"Safety glasses, shoes, gloves, some kind of first-aid kits," said Ruiz.

EFFORTS INTENSIFY AFTER MULTIPLE DISASTERS

This effort is one of several pushes to help after a string of disasters. There was the earthquake in Mexico that killed 90 people about two weeks ago, and hurricanes Harvey, Irma and now Maria.

Maria, which hit as a Category 5 hurricane destroyed hundreds of homes in Puerto Rico, knocked out power to the entire island and sparked floods.

The Eastern North Carolina chapter of the American Red Cross said it's waiting to see whether Maria will affect North Carolina before deploying resources to the island.

"We've been slow to deploy volunteers because of Jose last week, now Maria," said Barry Porter, CEO of the Eastern North Carolina chapter of the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina (53 counties) currently has 78 volunteers deployed to southeastern states to help with hurricane relief efforts.

Porter said while resources are stretched, they've been hosting volunteer recruiting events. He said the response has been positive and that they recruited another 30 volunteers just Tuesday night.

Since Hurricane Harvey, the Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina has sent 355 volunteers to help those affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Information on donating and volunteering

In the past three weeks, the Red Cross and community partners have provided more than 955,000 overnight stays in emergency shelters because of hurricanes. Shelters were opened in eight states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Red Cross has served more than 3.35 million meals and snacks to people in need, and more than 5,800 Red Cross disaster workers and more than 330 emergency response vehicles - nearly their entire national vehicle fleet - are on the ground, helping thousands of people affected by these storms.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you would like to donate to help earthquake survivors in Mexico through La Grande, they will begin taking donations of supplies and money at La Pulguita at 2608 South Saunders St. in Raleigh.

You can also drop off donations at Compare Foods locations in Clayton, Zebulon and Henderson as well as International Foods on New Hope Church and Chapanoke Roads.