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Jacksonville family partnering with nonprofit organizations to sail goods to Puerto Rico

Shawna Downs and her family are working to help people in need by using a big boat to transport supplies, such as clothes, food and medical supplies, to those in need. The family's latest mission is Puerto Rico, where people are still struggling to get back on their feet after hurricanes tore up the island.

The Downs family is partnering with other nonprofits that have goods to donate, but do not have the means to deliver them.

"There are still people who need food this far after the hurricane. It's just really hard. That’s why we do it, because we love people and we love God,” said Shawna Downs.

Over the next few days, the family members will be filling up four containers with supplies. Then they will head out on a 6 1/2 day trip to drop the supplies off in Puerto Rico.

Downs and her husband have the help of three little deck hands who are learning at a young age how to make a difference.

Action News Jax flew to Puerto Rico in October with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents  who were delivering supplies.

We could see trees ripped from the ground and homes covered in blue tarps.

Parts of Puerto Rico still remans cut off from supplies, still without power and clean water.

This will be the Downs family's third trip to the island and the family members said they aren’t planning to stop making trips anytime soon.

“We’ll keep going as long as we can keep fueling the boat,” said Shawna.

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"There are still people who need food this far after the hurricane. It's just really hard. That’s why we do it."

Posted by Action News Jax on Tuesday, February 20, 2018