By Edgar Zuniga, American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is working hard to “meet people where they are” as it brings relief to thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Ian. This includes the large Spanish-speaking population of Southwest Florida.

“This has been such a blessing,” Julio Haymerles said in Spanish, as he picked up free cleanup supplies and food from a Red Cross Latino Engagement Team at the Ortiz Flea Market.

Members of the Latino Engagement Team worked with the people from the Mexican Red Cross to give out bottled water, non-perishable food items, shovels, rakes, tarps and other supplies to more than one hundred people. 

Ortiz Flea Market in Fort Myers is a gathering point for many Latinos in Southwest Florida. The market’s businesses and fruit stands evoke Mexico, but the market attracts not only Mexican immigrants, but other Latinos, as well as Haitians.

Red Cross disaster workers arrived with two trucks full of supplies. At first, a trickle of families approached, but as word spread that the people in the bright red vests spoke Spanish, a long line formed.   

Haymerles and his family are originally from Cuba. They spent two nights at a Red Cross shelter in Naples and were grateful to once again see the Red Cross.

“Many of us have so many needs… right now, I’m looking for work,” he said. “I’m desperately looking for work, but at least with this help, I’m saving some money, because what I have right now is to pay bills.”

When Hurricane Ian was bearing down on Florida, Haymerles couldn’t find an empty hotel room for himself and his family. “Thanks to someone God put in our path, they took us to the shelter and we spent two days there… There we were given food and everything we needed.”

Claudia Caballero, a Honduran immigrant who lives in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C., unpacked tarps, carried boxes, and distributed supplies at the outdoor market. She’s been a volunteer with the Latino Engagement Team for two years because she knows just how important this initiative is in helping all communities affected by large-scale disasters.  

“As Latinos – when they see us – they feel more confident.  You can see on their face, the joy of being able to speak to someone in their own language,” Caballero said in Spanish. “We can tell them how the Red Cross can help them and that we are here for them.”

María Hernández, a native of El Salvador, told the Red Crossers in Spanish that she spent all day of the hurricane in her trailer as it was battered by 150-mile-an-hour winds.

“I was very distraught, because I felt the trailer would fly away with the wind… It was horrible for all of us,” Hernández said.

The non-perishable food items were especially welcome because she lost all of her refrigerated supplies when the electricity went out. “I thank God for the hearts of all the people who donated,” she said.

The Latino Engagement Team concept became part of Red Cross disaster response after Hurricane Matthew in 2016, when the organization identified a need to focus on the needs of the Latino community. 

Steven Colón, executive director of the American Red Cross of Southern New Jersey, is also part of the team.

“There’s a large Spanish-speaking community here, primarily from the areas that we have been going to, where there are a lot of mobile home communities that have been impacted. Getting the word out is the most important thing in the Spanish community,” Colón said.

“A lot of times the Latino communities are scared to receive services from the Red Cross, and we make sure that we reach out to them and let them know that we are independent from the government and that it’s safe and free to receive our resources.”

American Red Cross relief is free to anyone with disaster-caused needs, thanks to the generosity of the American people. If you would like to support the Hurricane Ian response financially, visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, text the words IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or call 1-800-HELP NOW.

To become a trained disaster volunteer, go to redcross.org/volunteer or redcross.org/cruz-roja/volunterios, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.