JENNINGS, La. (WSVN) — After hosting a massive donation drive to help victims of Harvey, a Plantation family is on the road to Texas to deliver the goods.
It has been a long drive for Albert Molina and their loved ones as they continue a 1,200-mile drive to the Lone Star State. “We left at 6 o’clock on Thursday. We drove. We stopped, at 3:45 a.m., somewhere in between Pensacola and Tallahassee at a rest stop. Slept for four hours, hit the road back at 8:45 a.m., and we’ve been driving ever since,” he said.
The family is hauling a 25-foot trailer full of donated supplies.
“We started getting phone calls from Houston. ‘Is it the Plantation family that’s coming? All right, let us know when you’re here. Now we need this, we need that,'” he said. “‘God bless you. Good luck. We’re praying for you.’ When you read things like that, all of a sudden, when you’re really tired and sleepy, you just get energized.”
Twenty-four hours into their journey, the family stopped in Mississippi to buy more supplies.
“We’re trying to decide what they need. They’re giving me feedback on what they need,” said Vanessa Molina, “And that’s what we’re doing right now at Wal-Mart — using the GoFundMe money to buy everything that they need. Cleaning products are essential right now.”
At a Wal-Mart in Biloxi, Miss., the Molinas teamed up with the Buckley family to fill shopping carts with cleaning products, water and clothing. The items were then loaded into the nearly-full trailer.
“They’re having crews go out to the affected areas. They’re releasing first-hand what they need,” said Vanessa. “So, that’s great for us, because we can deliver these things immediately to them.”
Despite some challenges of their own, the group remains focused on their mission.
“One of our ACs is down, but we’re OK. We’re hanging in there. We’re gonna make it,” Vanessa said with a smile. “That is nothing compared to what everybody else is going through.”
Inside the family’s RV, the children wrote messages of hope to the victims of Harvey. One sign made by Krystal, the Molinas’ daughter, read, “Team Florida is coming! Stay strong Houston.”
“To see what these kids and families and all the people in Houston are going through is really sad, and it could have hit any of us,” said Krystal.
“This is so much bigger than us. This is now South Florida that came together, and we’re doing this representing South Florida,” said Albert.
The family said their efforts would not have been possible without the help and donations from South Florida residents. They are expected to reach Texas by Saturday.
The Molinas are still accepting donations.
For information on how to help, click here.
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