Miami Gardens delivers relief supplies to Harlem Heights residents still reeling from Hurricane Ian
MIAMI - Miami Gardens is helping those impacted by Hurricane Ian.
Monday morning a semi-tractor trailer filled with water, food, toiletries, diapers, and much more, all from donations within the city of Miami Gardens, left for Harlem Heights, on the west coast just north of Fort Myers Beach.
The donation drive was sponsored by rapper Flor Rida.
In addition to the truckload of goods, a food truck also made the trip to serve up warm cooked meals.
"It's all about giving back to the community," said Chelsea Wilkes, the owner of the Southern Belle's Kitch'n food truck.
People in that area say they feel left behind after the storm.
"Fort Myers Beach, McGregor Boulevard, Marco Island, nothing about Harlem Heights. So we definitely felt left out," said Terry Mobley, a pastor in Harlem Heights.
"I don't have to live on Sanibel or Fort Myers Beach to be one of the people they should care about because to me that seems like that's all they care about at this point," said Mary Broomfield, a resident of Harlem Heights.
Miami Gardens officials said the NAACP in Lee County reached out to them for help.
"We see it a lot of the time with natural disasters. The African American communities are the last to get resources," said Miami Gardens Vice Mayor Reggie Leon.
Leon said they were more than happy to answer the call for assistance.
"We're in a good place where we can help our brothers and sisters and we want to make sure we're able to do that. You never know, it's still hurricane season so we may need help one day, so want to make sure we're able since we're a financially sound city and we have people here willing to give," Leon said.
The items on the big rig included food, dozens of pallets of bottled water and toiletries ear marked for the minority communities of Dunbar and Harlem Heights, both of which were hit hard by the storm.
Harlem Heights is a distressed community of about 1,400 residents that is located 6 miles north of Fort Myers Beach which was also devastated by the storm.
The latest census showed half the residents there currently live below the poverty line and Harlem Heights had been having trouble getting hurricane relief supplies.
Harlem Heights resident Mary Broomfield told CBS 4 that after the hurricane flooded her home and caused a lot of damage, she is grateful for the help.
"This is a blessing to this community where so much of it is devastated (and) that we have received this help from Miami Gardens," she said. "Help that is much needed here in Fort Myers. I so appreciate that."
Cookie Broomfield, Mary Broomfield's daughter, agreed.
"I feel great. I am ecstatic. These people need it. They really need it." the younger woman said. "I just got power back and this has been so hard. We need so much help and this is legitimate help,"
"It makes me happy," said Anahi Morales, another Harlem Heights resident. "It means a lot. It shows they care a lot. They want to help us. And instead of just sitting at home, they are taking action and they are helping us."
The Lee County NAACP had appealed for help, a request the city and Vice Mayor Reggie Leon said he and other city leaders felt compelled to respond to in order to help.
They launched a two-day drive in order to collect items in a trailer that were sponsored by rapper FLO RIDA and that was based at Miami Carol City Park.
CBS 4 reporters Teresa Hornstein and Peter D'Oench contributed to this report.
