Mariano Rivera Helps Collect Donations For Hurricane, Earthquake Survivors
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – While many first responders from the Tri-State Area traveled to Puerto Rico to help following Hurricane Maria, others here at home are stepping up to the plate, too.
Ten-year-old Georgina posed for a photo with legendary New York Yankee Mariano Rivera on Thursday in New Rochelle, but she was there for much more.
"Me and my mom wanted to donate water for the people in the hurricane," she told CBS2's Vanessa Murdock.
Hundreds of people showed up for a donation drive at Steiner Sports, piling up love and necessities for the people of Mexico, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico – all still devastated from the earthquake and Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
"Anything is good. Everything is good. From a bottle of water to a diaper," Rivera said. "People are in need. We cannot be talking about race of Hispanics, or black, white or blue. It doesn't matter. They are people."
"They don't have any water and they don't have any electricity," one of the Speight boys said.
His family dropped off toothpaste and canned goods. Mom, Lucia, told Murdock she'd been looking for a way to give back.
"For them to understand that there's need and that you can help," she said.
Of course, it was an added bonus having the baseball star there.
"We just like met Mariano Rivera," another Speight boy said.
Steiner Sports Marketing CEO Brandon Steiner said his employees pushed him to help make the drive happen.
"They all came up to my office, which is a rarity, and wanted to know – what are we doing?" he said.
Batteries, bottled water and other necessities took the place of sports memorabilia. Soon, everything stacked up there will serve as life support for our neighbors.