A Pottsville rapper is trying to give back by organizing a Philippines relief effort on Sunday and Monday at Giant Food Store, 500 Progress Ave., Pottsville.
Robert Scifo, 30, of Pottsville, also known by his stage name "Casper," said that his record label, Max Out Entertainment, 110 E. Norwegian St., Pottsville, will seek donations in the store parking lot from noon to 5 p.m. in the effort called "Operation Save The Kids."
"We have a good community organization going right now and with everybody's help we can make it possible," Scifo said. "These kids need help there."
They are asking for people to donate bottled water, diapers, wipes, evaporated milk, baby formula and food, children's clothes, dry/canned food, medical supplies, over-the-counter medications, flashlights, batteries and generators.
Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, hit the country Nov. 8. According to The Associated Press, the epic storm killed more than 5,000 people, injured more than 23,000 and about 1,600 are reported missing.
It flattened some communities and displaced about 3 million people.
Scifo said the Red Cross is offering the people there some services, but "it's going take a lot more than what they're offering."
"Overall, these people need supplies and they need supplies now," he said.
With the help of his wife, Jennifer Scifo, they reached out to The United Nations in New York as well as U.N. Logistic Support Chief Isabelle de Muyser-Boucher and the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs unit to organize the effort.
"The United Nations have a Typhoon Haiyan action plan in place and agreed to accept our items collected and provide transportation to the Philippines United Nations responders on the ground assisting in relief efforts," Jennifer Scifo said. "Giant Food Store has provided the use of the parking lot to collect items and load on the tractor-trailer. The store manager and Giant Corp. were very helpful making this effort possible."
Fanelli Trucking, Pottsville, is donating the use of a tractor-trailer for two days and will deliver the collected goods to the United Nations dropoff point.
For more information, contact Scifo at officialcasper2012@gmail.com.