TAMPA, Fla. — When disaster hits, the United Cajun Navy isn’t far behind.
"We’re just a group of volunteers that want to help in a disaster," said Todd Terrell, United Cajun Navy president.
The non-profit was formed after Hurricane Katrina. Terrell said they’re a group of volunteers with boats, planes, trucks, and a heart for helping others. He said their mission is to respond to disasters with recovery efforts and relief aid.
"It's just everybody working together, but we need help. We need help to get these trucks there with supplies," said Terrell.
In their warehouse in Baton Rouge, Terrell said they have tons of supplies. Everything from hygiene products to baby supplies to food and water, but he said getting them to Hurricane Ian victims in Ft. Myers is no easy task.
"Florida is posing a little problem with transportation because of the way so far down south it is," Terrell said. "We have a lot of trucking companies that will donate their trucks to us because they know they can pick up a load to come back to at least pay for some of their freight."
Terrell continued, "But right now, they don’t have that so we’re actually having to pay for loads which is something we normally don't have to do as much."
He said they have already sent more than 20 truckloads to southwest Florida. But the need is great, and they need help bringing more.
"Right now, our biggest need fund-wise is money for fuel and or trucking companies that can pick up at our Baton Rouge warehouse to bring to Florida," said Terrell.
Once in the Ft. Myers area, he said they partner with churches to distribute supplies. Terrell said in times like these, it's the helpers that bring hope to the hopeless.
"Sometimes I think it's God’s way of bringing everybody together because everybody wants to help," said Terrell.
To learn more about how you can help, visit unitedcajunnavy.org