The earthquake that rocked central Mexico and the hurricane that tore through the Caribbean recently, were felt in the hearts of all Americans but most especially among our nation’s Puerto Rican and Mexican communities. Mexicans and Puerto Ricans are deeply woven into the fabric of our nation and what pains them, pains us all. That’s why Hispanic Federation responded quickly to requests to coordinate relief efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the earthquake in Mexico. Shortly after the earthquake hit, Hispanic Federation established a $100,000 fund to help support those impacted by the earthquake in Mexico. Just as importantly, we are partnering with Fundación Azteca to help build homes in Mexico for those whose houses were destroyed.
In Puerto Rico, the damage caused by Hurricane Maria was catastrophic. We knew right away that we had to drive and carry out an unprecedented community response. And that’s what we’ve done. We have been transporting emergency personnel and tens of thousands of pounds of essential goods to the island, working with our staff and a team of suppliers, local officials, community organizations to make sure that our aid gets to the people who need it the most. What’s more, we’re working on the ground in key municipalities throughout the island to ensure that needs are being elevated and addressed as quickly as possible through our efforts and the partnerships we have with key institutions both on the island and in the U.S. mainland.
Still the issues facing Puerto Rico are larger than relief for the injured, homeless and hungry. It is clear that Puerto Rico will face a formidable challenge in rebuilding. Beyond the extensive and ongoing relief HF is providing now, we are also working to strengthen the support and social services infrastructure on the island to ensure that families and communities can recover from this disaster.
We’re also working to ensure that the federal government holds up its end of the bargain. Disaster relief aid, the permanent repeal of the Jones Act, and a Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico were at the forefront of our Unity On Capitol Hill Advocacy Day on September 28th, where HF and its national partners met with over 50 congressional offices in Washington DC. We will continue to work closely with our congressional and community allies to advocate for fairness and justice for Puerto Rico.
If you would like to make a contribution to Hispanic Federation’s Disaster Relief Fund, here’s how:
To donate via text, compose a new text message for number 41444. Type UNIDOS (space) YOUR AMOUNT (space) and YOUR NAME. (For example: Unidos 100 John Doe) Then press “send” and click on the link to complete your donation.
To donate via website, visit www.hispanicfederation.org/donate and select “Hurricane Relief Effort” from the drop-down menu.
To donate in person, visit any Popular Community Bank branch. Account name: Hurricane Relief Effort. Checking account number 6810893500.
