OPA-LOCKA, Fla. – It's been four months since Hurricane Dorian ravaged parts of the island chain, and many are still recovering.
South Floridians are banning together to ensure the children in the Bahamas will not be forgotten this holiday season.
Thousands of toys were loaded onto a plane heading for the Bahamas on Wednesday at Opa-locka airport.
"My birthday wish is to hire a DC-3 and fill it up with toys and send it over and give the kids a big smile for Christmas that they normally wouldn't have because they have nothing," said local pilot Robert Arkin.
The group of people helping Arkin is familiar with the recovery efforts after Hurricane Dorian; they are with the aid group Third Wave Volunteers.
Also, Miami Palmetto Senior High School tenth grader Robert Acosta. Jr. enlisted his classmates and local church to help.
"It made me feel great, but it also makes me feel grateful for what I have," he said.
With residents in the Bahamas so depending on supplies, there is a lot of trash that gets left behind.
Relief pilot James Cameron brings the recyclables back.
“I am looking to partner up with someone to do recycling,” Cameron said. “Think of all these single-use plastics that went over (to the Bahamas) and nowhere to put them.”