By Mehwish Ayyub | supervisor
This past weekend, a growing number of Puerto Rican families gathered on the north end of the capitol in San Juan to place shoes in an evocative and moving memorial to those many hundreds or thousands who were lost.
Those feelings were thrust to the surface again this week after Harvard University researchers released a study that estimated upwards of 4,600 possible hurricane-related deaths in the three months after the storm. The study, based on more than 3000 household surveys and therefore prone to a wide margin of error, pre-empted what is expected to be a more precise study that Puerto Rico's government commissioned, but that has been delayed.
In November, CNN surveyed 112 funeral homes cross the island, about half the total, and found that funeral home directors and staff identified at least 499 deaths they believed to be hurricane-related.
For many in Puerto Rico — and especially for families of hurricane victims — the fact that the government's official tally of the dead remains at 64 more than eight months after the hurricane feels like an insult. They say it's a testament to how dismissive the government has been of their need to have the deaths of their loved ones acknowledged.
As the number of victims seems to be more, the need of these families is also increasing day by day and that’s why we are planning to go on ground with phase 1 as soon as possible. We are excited to share that by the help of all of our wonderful donors, we have began the phase 1 of our project. Project phase I of $10,000 to $20,000 is headed by Heather Dawn Thompson, Harvard educated lawyer of Native-American run company Now! Solar who are buying Solar panels to set up in Puerto Rico to help bring electricity and light. They have already placed the order for all the supplies and soon will be on ground.
As the number of victims is more than the officially announced, we decided to buy solar home kits in phase 2 to help quickly get as many people as possible access to light and air in their homes.
We will soon inform all our donors, once our team is on ground for Phase 1 and we are still gathering funds for Phase 2 and will ask all of our wonderful donors to come forward and help as much as you all could.
Together, We are Transforming Lives
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