ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Volunteers loaded a small aircraft with tons of medical supplies Wednesday evening bound for Haiti Thursday morning.
They’re sending much-needed relief after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the south region last month killing more than 2,000 people and hurting many more.
“We know that the people of Haiti, my brothers and sisters will really appreciate it,” Orange County Commissioner Victoria Siplin said.
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Siplin said more than anything, there was a vital need for medical supplies. She said those supplies are being sent to hospitals in Haiti.
“I reached out to the Haitian ambassador to the United States, and he stressed the emphasis of the lack of medical supplies,” Siplin said.
Ken Crane, a commercial pilot, is flying the relief supplies over to Haiti.
“We’re just private citizens trying to help out and they came together and filled the need,” Crane said.
It’s a collaborative send-off effort by Orange County Government, Orange County Health Services, Orlando health, Junebug Foundation and B&M Foundation.
Siplin is also reacting to video from Texas as Haitian migrants are trying to seek refuge in the U.S., many only to be turned away at the border.
The Associated Press reported thousands of Haitian migrants camped out in a small Texas border town are now being allowed to remain in the U.S. while they seek asylum. Others are being placed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities or still face immediate deportation.
“It is disheartening and very sad that we are in American in 2021 and this is how we are treating people who are seeking refuge in this country,” Siplin said.
She said she’s heading to Texas to try and help.
“I wanted to identify some of the migrants that have relatives here that we can give them the support that they might need,” Siplin said.
The AP said border patrol agents who were seen on horseback apparently grabbing and lashing at migrants are now on administrative leave pending a homeland security investigation.
The Biden administration has sent additional border patrol agents to the area.
The aircraft will leave Orlando around 6 a.m. Thursday and is set to arrive at noon in Port Au Prince, Haiti.