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Philanthropic Hero
Biography
Myrian Arguello Bodner
Louisville, Kentucky
Considered one of the world's worst natural
disasters, Hurricane Mitch left hundreds of thousands homeless, and killed an
estimated 10,000 people across Central America in 1998. Longtime U.S. citizen
and native Nicaraguan, Myrian Bodner, a Louisville, Kentucky homemaker, was
devastated by the news. “It was absolutely horrible. All the crops were
gone. It was going to take human resources to build the country up.”
To alleviate the suffering, Myrian first worked with
longtime friend and registered nurse, Jennifer Salazar, to gather medical
supplies to ship overseas. First they approached Supplies Over Seas, a medical
foundation, to provide them with medical essentials, then they asked UPS to fly
the cargo to Managua free of charge. Shortly after, hospital beds, IV holders
and other supplies arrived in Nicaragua to be distributed by the Red Cross.
Myrian was there to help.
Upon completion of this first success, Myrian then
reached out to the Mustard Seed Communities and her local church and collected
$250,000 worth of other daily essentials which were later distributed by Food
for the Poor. Aside from acting as a conduit for these works, Myrian and her
family have financially supported each endeavor Myrian orchestrated. Myrian
felt she had to help, “Those were faces that I knew - that I've known all
my life.” |
