Former Southbury Resident Loses Home in Hurricane, Starts The Virgin Islands Relief Fund

Hurricane Irma Hits Home

Lyndsey Varvatos former resident and graduate from New Canaan High and Matt Atkinson from Southbury CT lost their house in last week's Hurricane on the island of Saint John which hit the island at a catagory 5 level. 
 
Both Lyndsey and Matt were visiting New Canaan and Soutbury last week for Matt's 30 birthday when devastation hit their home on Saint John. Now an Island with no power, water, sanitation, Saint John is left in waste and ruins. 
 
When reaching out for help and aid, Varvatos and Atkinson were met with frustration and sadness. There was no help to be had. Due to the vast devastation left by Irma, Saint John is a forgotten community. 
 
Matt and Lyndsey, along with three other Isand residents, decided to take things in the own hands and have started the non-profit, The Virgin Islands Relief Fund Inc.
 
"The Virgin Islands Relief Fund Inc. a nonprofit corporation's purpose is to to accept donations and funds and deliver and distribute goods and services to the people of the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands impacted by hurricane Irma and to spend its funds and resources to do all things reasonably necessary to accomplish humanitarian goals of the organization"
 
To date they have collected 28,000 lbs of goods https://virginislandsrelief.org
  
Its a great story of the human spirit .
S
Submitted by Southbury, CT

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