Clothing distribution postponed; outreach shifts to villages instead

The CNMI Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s planned “Clothing Distribution" event last July 17 at the Typhoon Support Logistics Center along Quartermaster Road was postponed because of poor weather conditions, according to Becky Dania Mettao, CNMI VOAD lead coordinator for volunteer and relief efforts.

Mettao said the distribution, which was being coordinated with the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.'s Public Health program, had been scheduled to take place under a pop-up tent.

"With the wind and rain that we're experiencing right now, it didn't seem like the best idea to move forward with the clothing distribution," she said.

Instead of holding clothing giveaways at a central location, VOAD and its partners will continue bringing donated clothing directly into villages and other community outreach events already being organized by government agencies and nonprofit groups.

"What we're trying to do is we're trying to bring the basic needs of our community to where it's closer to them," Mettao said.

She said recent clothing distributions have been held in partnership with the Public School System at schools including Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, Kagman High School, and Kagman Elementary School, as well as at the Koblerville Youth Center and gymnasium facilities. Earlier distributions were also conducted at shelters and evacuation sites following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

Mettao said the goal is to make assistance more accessible, particularly for residents without transportation.

"We don't want to have people come up and line up for items, whether it's food, water, or clothing. We want to bring the items closer to them," she said.

The clothing distributions are continuing because the center still has a surplus of donated clothing available for families recovering from typhoon damage.

Residents seeking assistance do not need to wait for a clothing outreach event. Mettao said people needing help can contact the CNMI VOAD Helpline, which assists with a variety of needs, including clothing, food, baby formula, shoes, cots, tarps, and other household necessities.

The helpline numbers are (670) 588-5342 and (670) 588-7381. The hotline operates Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Mettao said VOAD recently entered Phase 2 of its assistance program, giving priority to households that suffered severe or major damage from Sinlaku.

"We want to make sure that we continue to focus on individuals whose homes were severely impacted," she said.

She added that callers are asked whether their homes suffered major damage.

VOAD also recently held its first thrift-shop fundraiser at the Volunteer Center during the Konbida Relief Concert. The event attracted more than 100 shoppers and raised more than $500 to support operations at the logistics center.

Meanwhile, Mettao thanked donors, volunteers, and partner organizations for helping keep assistance flowing to the community nearly two months after the storm.

"The volunteers continue to be the heart of this organization," she said.

She also thanked local, federal, and off-island supporters for their continued contributions.

"I just want to say thank you to everybody," Mettao said.

For those wishing to support ongoing recovery efforts, Mettao said monetary donations remain one of the center's greatest needs because they help cover operating costs and allow VOAD to quickly purchase needed items when supplies are unavailable.

Monetary donations can be coursed through the Ayuda Network’s PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/HCLJ6HTTABMXE.