In response to the escalating violence in Haiti, organizations in South Florida are working to provide aid to families in need.
Food for the Poor in Coconut Creek has everything from food, water and medical equipment ready to go to the politically unstable country, but organizers say they are running into obstacles.
Just last week, gangs that usually fight each other banded together and attacked places like the presidential palace and the country's airports. It is reported that gangs have taken over 80% of the capital.
Mario Nicoleau, the executive director of the organization, says employees cannot go outside and collect the shipments filled with aid.
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“We have about 150 containers at the port that we can’t retrieve because of gang-infested areas,” Nicoleau said. “No cargo ship is going to Haiti at this point. A week and a half ago all of the ships left the port because there was shooting at the port.”
Miami-Dade County is home to the largest Haitian community outside of Haiti. The county's emergency management department is monitoring the situation abroad.
Food for the Poor hopes to have a soft open and distribute aid in Haiti on Friday if the violence starts to settle.
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Organizers say the best way to help right now is to provide funds to organizations that are already on the ground in Haiti.
