Hurricane Irma Survivors to Receive Support from the Caribbean Disaster Relief Alliance (CDRA) — Caribbean Disaster Relief Alliance (CDRA)

Photo Courtesy of ABC7 New York

LANHAM, Md. – Sept. 12, 2017 – PRLog — The Caribbean Disaster Relief Alliance (CDRA) announces its launch and organizes disaster relief from the chaos following Hurricane Irma.

On Friday September 8, 2017, approximately 100 community leaders joined forces with the support of U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Association at the home of well-known mechanical engineer, carnival organizer and Image Band leader, Loughton Sargeant. The result was the formation of the Caribbean Disaster Relief Alliance (CDRA). CDRA is an alliance of nonprofits, businesses and professionals dedicated to collaborating and assisting in the execution of disaster relief efforts in the Caribbean.

CDRA was forged from the desire to coordinate coherent disaster response and the need for long-term collaboration. Pledges of financial and material assistance were made during the inaugural meeting. The alliance is compiled of existing community organizations, some having served the community for over 20 years.

The Caribbean Business Alliance (CBA) also plans to make a plea for aid to victims of Hurrican Irma during its power-networking event on Wednesday, September 20, wfv 2017 — ‘Experience the Power of Networking — at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Business owners will be encouraged to donate to cover the cost of logistics and warehousing of shipments enroute to the Caribbean.

The Caribbean diaspora has a positive history of coordinating and sharing resources. After Tropical Storm Erika devastated The Commonwealth of Dominica (Dominica) in August of 2015, the USVI Association and Caribbean Cargo DC were one of the first entities to aid RebuildDominica.org in disaster relief efforts in Dominica.

Continuing in the spirit of philanthropy, Guyanese-born community leader and former Sales and Marketing Director of the Washington Post, Royston Desouza of Caribbean Cargo DC leads storage and shipping effort by extending the 30% discount for customers shipping to friends and family in areas most affected by Hurricane Irma.

Hurricane Irma left unprecedented chaos and destruction in the Caribbean. Islands most affected include the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Cuba as well as Turks and Caicos. The Associated Press reported Hurricane Irma roared into the Caribbean with record force early Wednesday with 185-mph winds shaking homes and flooding buildings on a chain of small islands. “St. Thomas and St. John are pretty devastated,” Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the Virgin Islands’ delegate to Congress, told USA TODAY. “We’ve had houses slamming into other houses.”

The CDRA is fueled by a sense of humanitarianism and encourages other organization to rally for the cause of disaster relief. Nonprofits and other humanitarian organizations seeking logistical support in getting aid to those in need are encouraged to visit http://www.CaribbeanCargoDC.com for details or call the CCDC headquarters at 301.887.1070.