Venice-based Agape Flights flies Hurricane Ian aid provides to Southwest Florida – FOX 13 Tampa

VENICE, Fla. – For greater than 4 a long time, Venice-based Agape Flights has introduced assist and provides to missionaries in distant areas of Haiti. However after Hurricane Ian hit, they turned their focus to Florida, utilizing their plane to fly provides the place they’re wanted most.

Three years in the past, Agape Flights related with Virginia-based God’s Pit Crew whereas doing catastrophe aid work in Haiti. 

“Each time a catastrophe occurs anyplace within the nation we begin in search of, how can we assist?” stated Chris Chiles, the rapid catastrophe response coordinator for God’s Pit Staff. “I knew who to name.”

They gathered provides, stuffed up vehicles, and ready to move south. They requested Agape in the event that they’d be keen to assist fly aid objects down.

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“There was no strategy to get them a number of the provides they wanted,” stated Allen Speer, CEO of Agape Flights. “It was sort of a no brainer. Let’s go get them in Danville.”

Thursday, Agape’s Embraer 110 left Venice Municipal Airport for Danville, Virginia. By late afternoon, they landed with 3,600 kilos of aid provides, roofing, tarps, nails, and Blessing Buckets stuffed with Bibles, rest room paper, paper towels, cleansing wipes, toothbrushes, different hygiene objects and necessities.

Inside minutes, they have been loaded into automobiles and pushed to the toughest hit areas of Florida. God’s Pit Crew arrange a aid hub at a Port Charlotte church providing scorching meals, showers, and laundry.

“We have got crews out tarping roofs,” Chiles stated, “we have groups which are moving into gutting properties that have been flooded.”

Agape Flights experienced its own tragedy this year. Their second airplane was destroyed by rioters in Haiti whereas on a aid mission. Because of group donations, they have been capable of substitute it. Southwest Florida answered their name for assist. Now, they return the favor.

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“We are able to pay for gasoline and that sort of factor,” Speer stated. “We’re not nervous about that. However we actually wish to come alongside these individuals, as a result of they’re right here in our personal yard, serving to our neighbors, serving to us, serving to Southwest Florida.”

One group has planes whereas the opposite has the provides. It is a true group effort to assist Florida rebuild.

“It is one contact at a time, that is what we’re centered on,” stated Chiles. “One household, one individual.”

Although Agape Flights’ missions are centered on the Caribbean, they stand prepared to assist their companions fly provides to Florida as typically as they will.