South Florida nonprofit prepares to bring Hurricane Helene relief supplies across Gulf Coast
MIAMI — Six trucks full of supplies were en route to the Gulf Coast of Florida Thursday so that the Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) can start distributing supplies as soon as Hurricane Helene passes.
GEM volunteers wasted no time. As soon as a storm popped up on the radar, volunteers started packing boxes of necessities for families. GEM also had a team that headed up Wednesday to identify the communities most in need.
"GEM has this down to a science," said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "They have a huge group of volunteers and donors and participants that make it possible for them to deploy not just here at home and in Florida, but around the world."
GEM is partnering with Neighbors 4 Neighbors, an organization that emerged after Hurricane Andrew wiped out parts of South Florida in 1992.
"Neighbors is going to work long-term," said Katy Meagher with Neighbors for Neighbors.
Meagher told CBS News Miami that after organizations such as FEMA and the Red Cross come to the rescue, Neighbors 4 Neighbors brings their assistance into impacted counties to get people the supplies and funding they need to serve them efficiently.