VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — One week after Hurricane Dorian swept through the Bahamas, locals there are still trying to pick up the pieces. A local real estate company in Virginia Beach is among the many groups stepping in to help.
Angie Lombardi, Vice President of Marketing for the Franklin Johnston Group, said they were motivated to help after seeing the catastrophic damage on the islands.
“Anytime you see someone in need and you see the tragedy and just how much those towns were affected, you can’t help but want to reach out and support them,” she said.
There's widespread devastation on Abaco and Grand Bahama after Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas as a category five hurricane.
The storm flattened homes and destroyed buildings. Thousands of people lost everything.
The Franklin Johnston Group is collecting clothing from their employees and sending it to the Bahamas on Thursday.
“T-shirts, shorts, shoes – anything they could provide,” Lombardi said.
Donations are pouring into the Bahamas from all over the world. Food, clothing, cleaning, and building supplies have been steadily arriving to help people in Abaco and Grand Bahama.
Lombardi said the Franklin Johnston Group is also encouraging people to donate money to a GoFundMe page set up by Atlantis Resorts.
“Any little bit will help," Lombardi said. "Obviously money is helping to rebuild but really what they need desperately just immediately are shoes and clothing so people have something to wear other than what they left their clothes with.”
Lombardi said the Franklin family plans on taking the donated clothing items to the Bahamas on Thursday.
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