NEW ORLEANS — Former Hurricane Eta displaced around a million people in Honduras.
Entire towns there are underwater with people losing everything in the devastating storm. Eta hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Nov. 3 before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved inland to Honduras. The storm triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides in Central America.
Now, people in New Orleans and Kenner are helping.
"The damage of Honduras, maybe it's twice of Katrina and the people affected, it's like middle-class to poor, so they don't have resources over there to buy food or buy clothing," Ruben Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez is helping collect supplies through Sobares Emergency Relief in Kenner. They've already collected about four 40 foot containers full of supplies to ship.
They're collecting donations including toiletries and non-perishable food like canned items, pasta and rice. They're also collecting clothes, toys, shoes, bed sheets, diapers, water, feminine products, disinfectant, Advil or Tylenol.
"Anything, anything," Gutierrez said.
You can drop off items to Sabores Emergency Relief through Wednesday at 3521 Florida Avenue in Kenner. Starting Thursday, the donation drop off site will move to 2542 Williams Blvd in Kenner. They will collect donations as long as they keep coming.
In New Orleans, Pency Wilson and her husband are collecting items too. They know a family personally who lost everything in Honduras.
"My husband is in construction and most of his crews are from Honduras. His right hand man, Oscar, essentially is like family to us. He is from Honduras," she said.
Oscar's family members are now without homes, clothes, and essentials. Wilson is collecting anything that can help them start over.
"Clothing, bedding, anything like that, cleaning supplies," she said. "They've lost everything.
"She asked for help on social media, but didn't expect the overwhelming support she received from neighbors.
"My faith in humanity has been restored," Wilson said. "I've got at least 30, 35 trash bags full of stuff.
Wilson is collecting supplies through the weekend. To donate to her effort, email pencywilson@gmail.com to arrange pick up or drop off.
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