SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
Joint Task Force-Bravo officials, along with the Air Force helped a charity organization in the remote area of the Moskito Coast, Honduras, July 17 with storage and transportation of donated items from the United States.
The Norma I. Love Foundation received the donated items, which were transported on a space-available flight from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., to Soto Cano Air Base earlier in the year. The JTF-Bravo Civil Affairs Office stored those items until the Norma I. Love Foundation could arrange for transportation of the items to Mosquitia (the Moskito Coast), said Staff Sgt. Jennise Harris, JTF-Bravo Civil Affairs Office.
The charity organization, which specializes in a humanitarian, educational and conservation in the Mosquitia sent a request to the Department of Defense to ship the items as Denton Amendment Cargo. The Denton Amendment allows the use of DoD aircraft on a space-available basis, to transport humanitarian goods and equipment to countries in need, said Iris Medina, JTF-Bravo Civil Affairs Office.
The area of Mosquitia is very remote and makes it very difficult to transport items into the areas, said Norma Love, president of The Norma I. Love Foundation.
"We are very grateful to have the opportunity to have friends from the United States and Soto Cano Air Base," Ms. Love said. "Because of the Denton Amendment program, the Norma I. Love Foundation and the people of La Mosquitia (the Moskito Coast) have the opportunity to receive all the kind donations offered by hundreds of people from the United States."
The opportunity to help those in need is also important to those who work at JTF-Bravo.
"It's a very rewarding experience to work in the civil affairs office and help coordinate the delivery of these items," Ms. Medina said, "Because at the end of the day, you know you helped improve someone else's life."