Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm on Sept. 1 and left thousands homeless and stranded on islands with little access to water, food and power. Jupiter High’s Interact Club has been collecting donations for the people in need.

English teacher Carrie Andersen is the sponsor of the Interact Club at Jupiter High and has encouraged club members and students to collect as many supplies as possible.

“We are currently accepting tents, batteries, flashlights, non perishable food, baby formula and diapers, first aid kits, feminine products, tarps, cleaning supplies and tools,” Andersen said.

Andersen is also in charge of cash donations, but the Interact Club is just requesting products and supplies. Andersen has been asking her students to send in any supplies they may have left over from their own Dorian preparations.

“People are just bringing us the stuff that their parents already purchased, but then I do have other students who are going out and spending their money to buy specific items,” Andersen said.

Interact is trying to target specific areas in the Bahamas to help for when the evacuees return home.

“Even though everyone’s evacuated, right now, they’re eventually going to have to come back and they’re going to need stuff. We’re trying our best to make sure it doesn’t just go to the Red Cross or doesn’t just go to, you know, a random place. We’re making sure it gets to the hands of the people who need it,” Andersen said.

Ava Dinow, Vice President of the Interact Club, and helps oversee all of the Interact events and encourages her peers to donate supplies.

“I’m not media manager…I’m just trying to spread the word. I talk a lot. I’ve also been posting a lot on social media sites and making posters,” Dinow said.

Megan McCully is the Events’ Chair for the Interact Club, and her father lives in the part of the Bahamas that was hit.

“I am helping create more events for the club and getting all the kids involved in the club. In the morning, I come to volunteer and help with getting all of this and giving out community service hours. I organized all of the boxes with the food and supplies,” McCully said.