Doug Manchester, Trump pick for ambassador to Bahamas, launches private Bahamian hurricane relief effort

Oct. 2--San Diego businessman Douglas Manchester, President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to the Bahamas, is matching donations up to $1 million through his charitable organization for relief efforts to the hurricane-ravaged island nation.

Manchester, known to many as Papa Doug, started the fundraising through his philanthropic organization, the Manchester Charitable Foundation, in September, the same month Hurricane Dorian tore through the Bahamas. The Category 5 storm made landfall in the Caribbean nation on Sept. 1 and laid waste to the Great Abaco and Grand Bahama islands with 200-mph winds and 20-foot storm surges, reducing homes to rubble, flinging cars into the ocean, and displacing residents.

The storm is believed to be the most catastrophic the Bahamas have seen in modern history. Dozens of deaths have been attributed to Dorian, and hundreds of people remain missing.

Within days of the storm's departure from the Bahama Archipelago, Manchester, whose nomination for U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas has been awaiting confirmation for two years, marshaled his private resources and launched his own relief campaign.

By Sept. 7, Manchester was en route to help, his private aircraft loaded with 2,000 pounds of relief supplies including pallets of ready-to-eat meals, tarps, lights, medical supplies, baby supplies, tools and gloves.

While some islands, including the one where Manchester owns a home, were spared, Manchester said he found tremendous devastation and need in the hardest-hit parts of the archipelago.

"I've had a home there for years, and I love the Bahamian people," Manchester said. "They're very proud, wonderful people. After I saw what I saw, I was pretty emotionally drained and particularly motivated to help in any way I can."

So far, Manchester said his charity has probably raised about $200,000, but he has been encouraging donors to give money to other charities, too, so he hopes his efforts have brought in more money than is reflected in receipts by his foundation.

Manchester said he would be proud to offer support to the Bahamas in an official capacity as the U.S. ambassador, but he is honored to help as a private American citizen who shares his country's commitment to helping its close, important alley get back on its feet.

Seeing American military aircraft seemingly filling the skies over the hardest hit islands, some on their way to drop off supplies, others on their way to take refugees to safety, had made Manchester feel proud of the United States and optimistic that the Bahamian people would persevere and thrive, he said.

"They're beautiful people," Manchester said of the islanders. "They're resilient, they're working very hard, and I think they'll come back strong."

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