Residents gather, donate items to Haiti

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - West Michigan residents watching the Haiti earthquake aftermath unfold on their TVs are moved to help.

People have stopped by the Rays of Hope for Haiti warehouse -- 446 Grandville Ave. SW -- all day Thursday with supplies such as food, medical supplies, toiletries, blankets and clothing.

The ministry has been shipping supplies to the impoverished country for the past 10 years. Now, the Grand Rapids directors can't get ahold of their 14 staff members in Haiti.

"Unfortunately, right now communication has still been very poor," said Doug Porritt, a ministry representative. "We try probably every three minutes to make a phone call to one of our staff members, but nothing's coming through."

Rays of Hope for Haiti is in the business of moving items to Haiti -- which already was considered an impoverished nation before the quake struck.

"It just tears our hearts out," said Yvonne Scholten, one of the people donating. "It's terrible. We think of all the poor little children.

Some of them have lost their parents -- babies with no formula and diapers. It's just horrible."

Said Garry Scholten: "We went through the house yesterday and about eliminated all our clothes. We just took four closets -- everything you could imagine."

On Saturday, Rays of Hope is looking for people to volunteer their time to package up donated items so the supplies can be shipped next week.

It will take about three weeks for the donations to arrive, but ministry representatives say the need will be active in Haiti for a long time.

If Haitians are hungry now, they will be starving in a few weeks, Porritt added.

"Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere," Lisa Ipenberg said. "And my life has been blessed with abundance. I need to give back."

Even after the loading dock closes for the day, people are welcome to drop off items on loading dock 6.