Local nonprofit pleading for hurricane aid

Hurricane Odile destroyed infrastructure and houses across Cabo San Lucas and other Baja California coastal towns, leaving many homeless in its wake.

YachtAid Global, a local nonprofit, is looking to provide humanitarian aid to the region in the coming weeks. Hence, residents are encouraged to donate either funds or supplies to bolster the effort.

“We’re in contact with 10 different boats that will carry aid from San Diego to Cabo,” said Mark Drewelow, an Encinitas resident who founded YachtAid.

The greatest needs: bottled water, first aid supplies, food with a long shelf life, shelter such as pop-up tents and baby care supplies like formula, diapers and wipes.

To donate, visit yachtaidglobal.org.

YachtAid has a network of boaters around the world who provide supplies to areas in need. Before Odile hit, Drewelow coordinated with a YachtAid volunteer who happened to be in the region.

The captain delivered emergency supplies to La Paz, and then produced fresh water onboard, enough to fill water trucks.

Odile, packing 125-mile per hour winds, directly slammed into Cabo San Lucas Sept. 14. In its wake, Drewelow said thousands of working class people in Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, La Paz and other areas are without food, water and shelter.

In light of the growing demand for humanitarian aid there, YachtAid, other nonprofits and additional organizations banded together to make sure supplies get into the hands of those struggling.

Greg Edwards is the executive director of Los Cabos Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit that provides medical assistance to children.

It’s critical, he said, that people get supplies and shelter soon. Otherwise, disease or other issues could compound.

Over the long term, Edwards said, homes and hotels should be rebuilt as soon as possible.

“People have been displaced, from their home and their job,” Edwards said. “Now’s the really hard part. They have nothing to go back to.”

Drewelow voiced similar thoughts. He said the region will need help well into the future.

Drewelow’s private company C2C, which handles operational logistics for luxury yachts, paved the way for YachtAid. After building up contacts around the world, he set out to make a difference by forming the nonprofit. It has since provided thousands of dollars in aid to 50 regions.