Bravo reality TV star Bethenny Frankel says that with the help of other donors she chartered seven planes to distribute needed supplies to Mexico, Puerto Rico and Houston.
All three areas were devastated by natural disasters: Earthquakes impacted Mexico and hurricanes impacted Houston and Puerto Rico in the past couple of months.
In a blog post on BravoTV.com, Frankel, 46, said she chartered the first plane on her own and partnered with the nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission. The second plane came from a friend she said noticed the work she was doing.
“And then a third person gave $18,000 needed to sponsor a plane,” Frankel said. “And so I started calling friends, other rich people that I know, like (billionaire) Nancy Rogers from Mary Kay Cosmetics. (I said), ‘This is what we’re doing — I have supplies and we’re bringing people home.’ She said, ‘OK, I'll send my plane.’”
People reported that Frankel herself traveled to Puerto Rico to deliver supplies and offer aid. She did so as she recovers from skin cancer removal surgery, which left her with 12 stitches on her face.
“This is a forgotten island,” Frankel said. “People have been living on their roofs for 13 days. It is like nothing I have ever seen. People’s entire homes and cars are immersed in mud, the likes I’ve never seen.”
Frankel has raised more than $300,000 for Houston relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey and more than $150,000 for Mexico after earthquakes impacted cities Oaxaca and Chiapas.
Supplies sent to the island include water, canned goods, diapers, baby food, medical supplies, toys, insulin, and thousands of dollars in donations from famous friends and other organizations.
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