I’m sure by now all of our readers have heard about the devastation in the Philippines. It is truly heartbreaking. On Friday, November 8th, Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the country’s central islands. The Category 5 “super typhoon” wiped out entire towns. The pictures are just so sad. As of today, nearly 4,000 people are dead and about 1,200 are still missing. In some areas, the number of bodies is so overwhelming, workers are just taking photos before they bury them, hoping to identify the person later.
According to the latest Reuters report, 4 million people don’t have shelter. Many of these survivors are getting just one meal a day. Food, water and medicine is being brought into the ravaged towns by U.S. military helicopters, but crews on board say the people are so frantic, they sometimes mob the chopper. When you hear these kinds of news reports and see the pictures, you may be wondering how you can help. There are quick and easy ways where you can give money to reputable organizations like the Red Cross. But as moms, I think our hearts go out to the children and we wonder what we can do for them. Mariter Torres, a mom, local businesswoman and Filipino herself feels the same way. Mariter is the owner of Daniela Jay, a boutique in the Fry’s Shopping Center off Happy Valley and 67th. She is accepting donations of clothing and other non-perishable items. When it comes to charitable work like this, Mariter knows what she’s doing. She sends clothing to the Philippines often and has an established network on the ground there, so you know your donations will get to the kids who desperately need them.
Her first care package is going out tomorrow, Monday, November 18th, but as long as Mariter receives donations, she will send them along. If you’d like to help, you can drop-off your donations at Daniela Jay at 6525 West Happy Valley Road in Glendale.
