- February 7, 2025
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It was a windy Florida morning on Wednesday, Oct. 25, as volunteers hurried to unload donated goods from a plane that had flown in from California the night before.
The donations were all going toward hurricane relief efforts and were the result of a partnership with Port Orange-based Foundation 37, Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, Pegasus Elite Aviation and the Van Nuys Airport Association. The California airport had put together a collections drive to deliver needed items to the victims of hurricane-affected areas in Volusia County.
The drive ended on Monday, Oct. 9.
Coordinators had been asking for donations that include blankets, water, new socks and t-shirts, toys for small children, non-perishable canned goods and basic toiletry items. The collected supplies were transported on a plane donated by Pegasus Elite Aviation to Daytona Beach before being distributed.
Freddie Smith, who was helping unload the donated goods on Wednesday, said it was humbling to know that people on the other side of the country wanted to help with the relief efforts.
"It just goes to show that you can't outgive," Smith said. "Because our community is always giving so much and we've sent so many things to so many places during all these tragedies and to know now that other people are thinking of us as well and we're on the receiving end is extremely humbling, and to be a part of that is pretty cool."
Foundation 37 President and Co-Founder Maria Mills-Benat said one of her friends knew the person coordinating relief efforts from the airport and suggested they team up with the Port Orange organization. Now that the plane has brought the supplies, Mills-Benat noted that not only will items be distributed throughout Volusia but donations will also be brought to Puerto Rico and Key West.
Locally, Mills-Benat said one need is replacing bedding and furniture.
Before the items are distributed, they will stored in a warehouse donated by Kona Ice. Mills-Benat said the organization already has an application online where people can apply for assistance if they are still recovering from the hurricane.
"It's pretty cool that other people around the country have stepped up to really help people in need in our community," Mills-Benat said. "And it's very humbling that they chose us and trusted us with this all of this stuff to disperse into the community."
For more information on Foundation 37, visit foundation37.org.
