What Can I Do To Help in Puerto Rico?

I spent 12 days stuck in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and whatever Anderson Cooper in his black t-shirt, says it is worse down there.  It is going to take years to recover and could shove the island into insolvency. They have 3.5 million United States citizens on the island and another 4 million living on the mainland.  I can see a sizable number emigrating off the island, leaving only the elderly and those with low incomes.  We made it off the island on Saturday Sept. 30 with a humanitarian flight out.  We were kicked out of our hotel last Saturday Sept. 23, when our first flight was cancelled.  We could not reach our friend who lived on the island because the communication's network was destroyed, and she was not staying at her residence. 

My wife and I spent two days homeless staying at the disaster center.  I can say that the American Red Cross did not have much of a presence on the island, and were not up to the challenge. 

I staged a protest over the bad conditions at the Disaster Center over the slow response, the not distributing food on the streets, and lack of urgency.  FEMA and other officials were turning people away and telling them to call an 800 number even though most people did not have power or cell phone service.  It was the most inept disaster response that I have ever seen.

I was finally able to catch up with Glorin Pastusch Ruiz on Wednesday September 27.  I knew Glorin from her days on the National Coalition for the Homeless Board, and her previous role as staff at the local homeless shelter in San Juan. She was not staying at her primary residence and had been standing in gas lines and trying to make sure her family members were safe. 

There is a curfew which has been rough on the native homeless population in Puerto Rico.  Glorin and her family are safe and making due.  The banking systems, supplies, US Mail, Cell phone, airport, power system, hospitals, diesel and gas systems were all compromised and not functioning 14 days after the hurricane hit.  They had no plan to get tourists off the island so that aid could go to the native population living in the dark.  There was no food or water distribution, and hospitals were running out of diesel.  LaFondita deJesus, Glorin's shelter where she has worked for decades, also ran out of diesel for their generator, and the men and women living at their two buildings are making due.   We are urging people to send supplies in the next week when the post office should be able to start delivering again. We would not recommend donating to the Red Cross, which was not very helpful.  Half the island still does not have water and only 5% of the island had electricity.   It does not look like they will have electricity for weeks and everyone, including homeless people, is running low on items. 

They need:

• Flashlights
• Batteries esp. Size D
• Solar charging stations
• Cans of non carbonated drinks and dry food
• Solar Lanterns
• Insect Repellent
• Rain Ponchos
• Even dry goods like cups, plastic ware, paper towels, and plates would be helpful.
• Anything else that you would use if you did not have electricity. 

You can donate money right on their website: lafonditadejesus.org

Or send monetary donations or small packages to:

LaFondita deJesus Homeless Programs

PO Box 198307

San Juan PR 00910

For larger boxes you can send to Glorin who will get them to those in need.

Glorin Pastuch Ruiz

Calleta de San Juan 55

San Juan PR 00901

by Brian Davis