As Result of our generous donors and supporters, Poured Out has been able to own several pieces of equipment that help us to better serve people all over the states who have been affected by natural disasters. One of such trucks made it possible for us to travel into the heart of Long Island to pick up donated goods from an old armory where distribution is being stored. After an adventurous trek through the crowded streets in a 13 foot semi, we came upon the old abandoned armory which is now being used as a drop-off location for donations coming to Sandy.
Poured Out was blessed to be one of the few organizations to take advantage of this location and supplies. The armory is being run by a small Latino nonprofit, with volunteers unloading trucks, organizing goods, and helping delivery trucks load up with supplies the people of Long Island are in desperate need of. The volunteers generous and excited to help us, over and over, load our truck with food, water, clothing, blankets, cleaning supplies, and other goods that people would need. We worked late into the evening hours filling our truck and making arrangements to deliver the goods to local churches who could organize distributions to their congregations and communities.
After loading up, the Poured Out team headed to New Hope Wesleyan Church in Brooklyn. It took a couple hours to get the truck and goods to the distribution, and by the time we arrived it was already 9pm. The church’s volunteers were waiting after hours to help unload, and were excited to see the giant Poured Out truck pull up!
We unloaded and chatted with the volunteers, learning about the Jamaican culture at the church and how they have been worried since the storm because while they had power and heat at the church, much of the congregation and community was in need of cleanup on their flooded houses and basic items to get by. We watched their eyes grow as the seemingly endless supply of water, cleaning goods, and brand new warm clothes came out of the truck.
After the unloading was finished, one woman grabbed our hand and asked us to come inside. Sensing the volunteers fatigue from staying late and unloading, and feeling a bit tired ourselves, we headed into the church. We followed her into the sanctuary, where they had piled the boxes in front of the alter. The woman began to cry, telling us she was so happy that they had these things to give to the children. “We are going to do a distribution at Thanksgiving,” she smiled through her tears, “they are going to be so excited to be blessed with these clothes. Thank you for caring about us.”
Poured Out left the site humbled, rejuvenated, and most of all thankful for the donors who give goods, trucks, and support for this kind of work to be done. We are truly blessed to serve.
Donations are needed to keep this great work going! Visit www.poured-out.org for information on how to donate to Hurricane Sandy Relief!
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