Kids Assemble Care Packages For Children Affected By Hurricane Irma

SAN DIEGO, CA – Youth volunteers and their parents assembled care packages Sunday for children impacted by Hurricane Irma, which slammed into Florida last weekend.

The packages also included messages of support written and painted by the kids.

The event was organized by Kids4Community, a nonprofit founded by 13-year-old Kenan Pala of Rancho Bernardo that bills itself as being "runs by kids for kids."

The care packages will be distributed to schools and churches in the affected areas.

Around 6.5 million people were under evacuation orders ahead of the massive storm, which caused heavy damage in the Caribbean before devastating parts of the Florida Keys and making landfall in the southwestern part of the state. Reuters reported 82 deaths as of Friday morning.

Around 517,000 overnight stays have been recorded at evacuation centers, according to the South Florida chapter of the American Red Cross.

By City News Service

Photo by David Goldman/Associated Press