Lorain's Iglesia De Dios Ebenezer M.I. Church packs up donations to take to Superstorm Sandy victims

LORAIN, Ohio - A Lorain church is leaving Wednesday for the East Coast, armed with local donations of clothing, diapers and food for Superstorm Sandy victims.

Iglesia De Dios Ebenezer M.I. Church, on Globe Avenue in Lorain, is set to leave the county at 10 a.m. with a U-Haul truck filled with the necessities that those still suffering from Sandy are currently living without.

Church officials said the donations have been generous. As of Tuesday night, the church had collected more than 50 cases of bottled water, 250 bags of clothes, more than 100 boxes of food and about 400 diapers.

“We’re grateful,” said Angel Arroyo Jr., pastor and director of the ministry. “We’re grateful for what we have. We’d like to have a little more.”

The trip was to start Monday, but because a donated U-Haul truck was not available until Wednesday, Arroyo said they had extra time to collect more items.

Even with massive efforts to restore power and repair homes, some East Coast residents still are struggling with the effects of Sandy and the cold weather and snow that followed, Arroyo said.

“It was uncomfortable for us with 30 minutes to 12 hours with no electricity,” Arroyo said. For some New Yorkers, it has been two weeks without electric power.