More Care Packages Needed For Puerto Rico

Here's a release from the New Bedford Police Department:

Care packages needed to help storm victims in Puerto Rico

 NEW BEDFORD _ Some area residents experienced the inconvenience of losing power for a few hours during the Sunday night storm.

Many of our friends and fellow citizens in Puerto Rico have been without power for more than five weeks.

 Staples such as food and water are in short supply.

 New Bedford residents generously stepped up a few weeks ago to fill trucks shipped to Puerto Rico to help hurricane victims.

 New Bedford Police Det. Gene Fortes, who helped organize the previous truck filling effort, is once again supporting an initiative to help hurricane victims in his native Puerto Rico in a collaborative effort with Edwin Cartagena from United New Bedford, Lorenzo's Bakery and others.

He is asking residents to create a "Puerto Rico care package'' with specific items and will be going to Puerto Rico this weekend to coordinate the distribution of these bags and other items generously donated by residents.

 To create a care package, fill a plastic bag with:

 1 5 lb bag of Canilla Long Grain rice

1 pack of coffee (such as Cafe Bustelo)

4 cans of tomato sauce

1 Adobo seasoning

2 packs of M&Ms

4 cans of Spam

4 cans of Green Pigeon peas

4 cans of pink beans

4 cans of tuna

4 cans of canned spaghetti and meatballs

6 cans of Carmela sausages

1 Luci outdoor 2.0 inflatable solar light

 Completed bags can be dropped off at Lorenzo's Bakery, 1533 Acushnet Ave. or United New Bedford, 127 West Rodney French Blvd. Deadline for dropping off the bags is Friday, Nov. 3.