Family desperate to help loved ones trapped in Puerto Rico

KENNER, LA (WVUE) - Gypsy Cheverez is still waiting to hear from family members following Hurricane Maria.

The Puerto Rican native moved to New Orleans when she was 14, but still, has dozens of family members on the island.

She hasn't spoken directly with her father but learned from a family member that his house was destroyed.

She said other families living with small children on the island are desperate for any type of help.

"It's so hard for them to manage their food, they don't have the formula, they don't have the water for the formula, they barely can feed him a little bit of meat for breakfast, a little bit at lunch, and dinner, just to spread it out almost because they are completely out of food, they can't reach an ATM they can't get the money out and they have no access, no one has approached them with any water, any food at all," Cheverez said.

Now she's trying to do anything she can to help and organized a supply drive in Kenner and Chalmette. She's teamed up with the Cajun Airlift group to fly the supplies to the island.

The group is looking for essentials, like water, diapers, formula, batteries, and hygiene products.

"You know that you're gonna send them some kind of relief and help, but it's not fast enough. We feel pretty helpless, my dad lost everything so he doesn't have an ID, so he can't even make it to the airport to fly out, so at this point, there's nothing we can do," Cheverez said.

The group will collect donations through Monday at the Jambalaya News in Kenner at 2327 Veterans Suite G and in Chalmette at Storage Unit located at 1227 Center St. Unit E.

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