Amid the grief over the devastation caused by Hurricane Joaquin and the anger and confusion over the authorities’ response to the storm have come multiple heart-warming expressions from Bahamian citizens and friends of The Bahamas who moved quickly over the weekend to organize relief to the affected areas. Much of the organizing was done through social media. The unselfish actions of so many who are helping in the relief reminds us why we should still have faith in our people.

Yesterday, Matt Albury and a team of volunteers were busy at Odyssey Aviation in New Providence organizing relief that was being flown out by Trans Island Airways. Florida Air Cargo also sent a plane to Nassau to load relief supplies and get them to the affected areas. Albury said it was a grassroots effort that had already received tremendous support from ordinary Bahamians.

Fifteen flights with relief supplies had already gone out to areas affected by Hurricane Joaquin. Albury estimated that 20,000 pounds of water, non-perishable food, medical supplies, medicine and sanitary products were flown out. More than 100 volunteers were involved in the effort.

“I really think it speaks to the fact that regardless of all of the things that tend to divide us in this nation, we are all Bahamians and we rally when there is a critical need,” Albury told National Review.

Today, the group hopes to ship containers of supplies aboard Bahamas Fast Ferry and Island Link, which will donate their services. Albury said private helicopters were also involved, getting supplies to the more remote areas devastated by Joaquin. He said the challenge was getting supplies distributed evenly to the impacted areas.

Albury said the group was concerned with meeting the most urgent needs of storm victims and recognizes that long-term development and recovery efforts would have to be integrated through national and international efforts. Father Keith Cartwright, who has Long Island roots, and Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner are also involved in that effort. Butler-Turner said in a statement yesterday the Pan American Health Organization has also sent representatives to travel to the affected areas over the course of the next several days.

“It is important to note that the coordination of flights to deploy personnel and supplies is a volunteer effort spearheaded by Trans Island Airways owner Paul Aranha who has rallied pilots who are flying into these islands,” she said.

Butler-Turner thanked Odyssey for allowing the group to use its space and for subsidizing fuel costs. Another group of volunteers, organized by the referral page Head Knowles, also spent the entire weekend organizing and distributing relief. Lia Head, one of the coordinators, said she did not want to sit back and complain, but wanted to do something to help the victims.

“When I woke up and looked at the news and looked at Facebook and heard about Acklins, I started crying and recognized I needed to be a part of something,” said Head, who contacted Gina Knowles and got to work.

On her Facebook page, Head posted “be the change you want to see”. The effort thus far has been massive. People brought in relief supplies at the Furniture Plus warehouse on East West Highway. The place was absolutely buzzing yesterday. Thirteen thousand dollars was raised online and more donated in person, Head said. Head said the group was targeting all affected areas, sending water, clothing and other relief items.

“It was an extreme outpouring,” she said.

People who want to donate can go to the Head Knowles link on youcaring.com. They can also drop supplies off at New Oriental Cleaners or Island Cellular. Back at Odyssey Aviation yesterday, Ranard Henfield and other community activists from The Change Movement were also busy.

“Today was rather impressive,” Henfield said. He said around 9 a.m., he made a list of items that were needed. Within three hours, Henfield said, more than 80 people had showed up with the items. Others donated money to help cover the cost of fuel for the planes flying out the supplies.

Coca-Cola brought in a trailer of Dasani water. The group ran out of more than 1,000 donated Vitamalt boxes that were being used to pack supplies.

“The response is really good,” Henfield said. “We had just the ordinary Bahamians out there today doing for people they have never met, which is what this movement is about.”

Henfield said the effort was non-political. He said many Bahamians are above politics and playing the blame game.

“I think there is a very small few who want to pull us down as a people, who are selfish and small-minded,” Henfield said.

“We are still a caring people. There are thousands more of us out there. There are a lot of us who are willing to step up and do, thousands of us who want to make a difference and help. It has nothing to do with recognition.”

Over the weekend, other Bahamians also organized relief efforts for storm victims.

While there is also the risk that a corrupt few might take advantage of a tragic situation, it is heartening to see the outpouring in the wake of the storm, which has disrupted the lives of so many.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian