LYNN — Victims from Sunday’s devastating volcanic eruption in Guatemala are in dire need of help. The biggest question for locals who want to help is how to get aid into the country.
More than 200 people are missing and 99 are confirmed dead after Fuego, the volcano, erupted in Guatemala, according to the Associated Press. Now, a group of Lynners, including a high school senior, a representative from Brendan Crighton’s office, two church pastors, and a number of community members, held a meeting Wednesday to discuss a plan of action for the victims of the devastation.
The group brainstormed ways to get non-perishable foods, bedding, medicine, and new clothing directly to the victims who desperately need it and avoid the strict controls set by the Guatemalan government.
“This is the biggest crisis in Guatemala in over 15 years, with over one million people affected, and that isn’t even including the total number of missing people,” said Eduardo Caceres, vice president of the American Latino Committee. “The big volcano here is the government not allowing us to help, so we need to find a private way in because if we wait for the consulate or the government, it will be too late and people are in need now.”
According to Caceres, the laws and regulations within the Guatemalan government are very strict when it comes to receiving items and resources from foreign countries. Sending over a pile of used clothes is apparently more expensive, taxwise, than sending new, packaged garments, according to Juan Gonzalez, founder of the American Latino Committee.
The group came up with the idea of renting a large storage container to place at a specific location for locals to drop off the much-needed supplies. They also plan to establish multiple drop-off locations for donated goods, but for now, North Shore residents can leave supplies at 157 North Common St.
Filling the container and shipping it to Guatemala will take about 90 days, according to Gonzalez.
Sending at least one of those containers over to Guatemala would accrue up to $10,000 in taxes, and that’s not including duties on the goods inside. Gonzalez put together a GoFundMe page with a goal of $20,000 to help pay for getting the container of supplies to them. They also created a Bank of America account that people can donate to at any time. Donations should be made to account number 4460-0319-6335.
On June 13-15, Casa Antigua Restaurant will offer 10 percent of all food sales to the victims in Guatemala.
The group is also asking local fire departments to compile a box of equipment, given that Guatemalan firefighters have an income of only $100 a month and most of their equipment was destroyed in the eruption.
“It’s hard, everything that’s happened there, so I hope that we can do something good for them,” said Alvaro Zapet, president of the American Latino Committee.
The group will meet again next week to discuss long-term ideas to help the victims of the volcano, including filling up another storage container with construction materials so victims can rebuild their homes.
Material from Associated Press was used in this article.
