Washbasins full of food and cleaning supplies were packed up and distributed to the damnificados por el huracan Jimena
Small concrete house knocked off its foundation by the storm at Fatima, a colonia of Guaymas. Photos: Margaret GadsbyI got a call a while ago from Sal Fazio. He had just crossed the border heading to Tucson. As his daughter had a bunch of clothes to send back with him for the needy, he stopped at the Aduana's to see if there would be any problems. He told me the Aduana took him into a room that was piled as high as could be with used clothing. He told Sal that they were not allowing any used clothing into the country. Mexico Mel, San Carlos
My friend Wendy is coming down from Canada in a few weeks, with a load of used clothing for the people displaced here by Hurricane Jimena. Many others have been planning to do the same when they visit here. But according to the local internet forum, used clothing won't be allowed across the border. There's concern that some of it will end up for sale at tianguis.
Wendy requested a letter from the Mexican Consulate in Vancouver which she's hoping will clear the way for her to bring down her donations, but we won't know until she tries it whether that works.
All I can suggest is to bring fewer items of clothing, pack them in a suitcase with all tags removed, don't declare them, and hope for the best. I brought a bag of baby clothes home that way yesterday. Otherwise they end up in a huge stack at the Nogales aduana's office, doing no one any good.
A report on fundraising efforts to secure everything from bedding to shovels to cleaning supplies and lime for covering animal carcasses says there will also be portable shelters set up where needed.
Meanwhile there are people who have lost everything, who were unable to save anything but their lives when their homes were destroyed. And autumn's cooler nights seem to be coming earlier this year.
7 comments:
That's sad. Who cares if they sell it... at least it's doing someone some good. Maybe the owner of the tienda needs to replace his stock to better serve his community. If you can give you give and you don't worry about what happens to it after you give it. That works for cash as well as merchandise.
A clothing drive within Mexico is probably the way to go. I'm wondering now whether the same restrictions will apply to, for instance, kitchen items.
Mexico has always been like that about bringing clothes in, I've been told they are trying to protect their clothing manufacturing industry. It's goofy, I know.
If your friends go by a Goodwill and buy a large suitcase they can bring it full of clothes with them, like you say, just say it's their clothes or clothes for their family in Mexico. Shouldn't be a problem.
-MT
A clothing drive within Mexico is a great idea. My childrens school has had a few after other hurricanes that have hit the country.
But how things have changed. My grandpa used to gather up all the used clothing he could in 6 months to bring it to an orphanage in San Luis, Sonora. Of course, he never declared it and he usually stashed it in hidden compartments in our camper.
Hi Bliss - it's hard to read your posts about Guaymas and San Carlos. It was rough there before the hurricane and I can't imagine what it is like now. Thanks for the good work you do.
My neighbor here in Texas is from Mexico and always takes large bags and boxes of clothes when she goes back, she's never said anything about having problems. I've even given her all my leftovers from garage sales.
Dear friends, I'm getting some warm clothes together that I don't wear, and so are a couple of friends, so we'll try to find a good distributor for them. I think the suitcase idea is the way to go. I really don't think the aduana wants to seize donated clothing, but if you show it to him, he has to follow orders. After all, if you've got clothes in your bags, most of them are used. It's the bales of clothes, trunkloads and stacks that they can't ignore, or they might lose their jobs.
Post a Comment