Disaster Recovery- Elders, San Antonio Puerto Rico

During the last months Proyecto La Nueva Esperanza has been helping our elderly participants with hurricane recovery.  We've been working with the participants in different areas:  physical, emotional and with house loss.  Recovery has been slow but we have achievements.

For Father's Day the elderly received a present:  basic need articles and the participants expressed their joy with what they got.

Thanks to the donations we were able to increase the days for the meal distribution.  We are distributing meals five (5) days a week, from Wednesday until October 2018.  Prior to this we distributed meals two (2) days a week.  

One of our participant home was without running water prior to the hurracane.  We coordinated with other organizations to help him with this situation.   He authorized Proyecto La Nueva Esperanza to go to the corresponding agency to complete the process for him as he was unable to do so.   We also help him financially during the process.  The participant was without running water for ten (10) months after the hurricane and he had to buy bottled water or ask his neighbors for help.  Now, he is very happy and grateful as he will improve his hygiene and house chores with the running water.

Two elderly participants had a dermatology condition and our organization helped them to get their medicines as they didn't had the money to buy them.  We are doing follow up to their conditions.

To continue with the nursing service we bought blood glucose test strips, alcohol swabs and lancets.  The nurse will follow up the elderly health.

Another service we were able to provide was to fumigate some of the participants homes so they can be protected against insects and rodents.  

The donations helped us with these achievements, thanks to all.     

During the quarter our elderly participants received the meals as usual.  They are very grateful because after hurricane Maria impact our island last September as some of them lost their belongings (partially or total loss).  The cook have prepared 867 meals which were distributed by our driver to the elderly homes.  We were able to add another day to the meal distribution besides Saturdays and Sundays to help the elderly cope with the situation.  Part of the donations were used to pay the cook and driver because the grant budget we had for it was due.  We are searching new fund opportunities to cover this area.  

Hurricane Maria recovery has taken more time than expected.  Some of the participants who lost their belonging such as:  the roof, furniture and/or household goods, came to our office to request assistance.  We helped them to contact the corresponding agencies.  We have donated groceries and some meals to elderly people in need in the community also. 

 We bought gas for the kitchen stove and groceries to prepare the meals.  The kitchen has been fumigated to keep it clean and prevent the insects and vermin growth.  Our two vehicles required frequent maintenance and gas because of the continuous use and the contributions we received helped us to do so. 

The new hurricane season will start on June 1, 2018 and we started our preparations if case of another emergency.  Groceries inventory was done and we bought non-perishable goods so that the meal distribution won't be affected in case of another atmospheric emergency.