Puerto Rico & Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund

Even as we near the one-year mark since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, we continue to learn about the true scope of the devastation wrought by the storm. In just the past few weeks, the island’s government updated its estimate of deaths due to Maria to 2,975, up dramatically from its original count of 64. This new estimate reflects the storm’s widespread destruction and disruption of critical systems and infrastructure, which led to thousands of people dying of storm-related causes in the weeks and months that followed the hurricane’s initial impact.

Immediately after landfall, our community-led nonprofit partners quickly responded in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean, and they've remained hard at work over the past year, striving toward a complete recovery with generous support from GlobalGivers like you. To date, 47,924 of you have raised an incredible $11.4 million to support 39 vetted nonprofits that provided emergency relief in the days and weeks following Hurricane Maria and have now transitioned into long-term recovery work.

To mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria and support vital ongoing recovery efforts, we're launching a new matching campaign that will match 100% all donations to our vetted nonprofit partners continuing to work with the people of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean recover and rebuild.

Since our last report, your donation has provided vital support to a wide range of long-term recovery work, with a focus on repairing and replacing damaged homes, reopening schools, and improving the ability of communities to withstand future storms:

• G-8, Grupo de las Ocho Comunidades Aledañas al Caño Martín Peña is repairing storm-damaged roofs in the string of communities along San Juan’s major canal, Caño Martín Peña. They’ve determined that an estimated 840 new housing units will need to be built over the next decade to accommodate Maria-affected residents living along the canal.
• Coastal communities in Humacao and neighboring towns were among those most severely impacted by Maria’s landfall. Programa de Educacion Comunal de Entrega y Servicio, Inc., or PECES, is helping these communities recover through distributing food, replacing furniture and household items, and organizing community clean-ups. The organization is also helping people in Humacao become better prepared for future hurricanes by distributing solar and electric generators to small businesses and homebound residents.
• Comprehensive Disaster Response Services is repairing damaged homes, including many roofs, in Las Marias, Mayaguez, Morovis, Sabana Grande and San German, as well as a Boy Scout cabin in Guajataka to provide basic shelter to residents before the next hurricane season begins.
• Corporacion La Fondita de Jesus is repairing roofs, stairs, and sidewalks in the communities of La Perla, Colectora and Playita in San Juan, They’re also installing solar lamps to illuminate streets and public gathering spots, and identifying and training community leaders to coordinate emergency response ahead of future storms.
• Jovenes de Puerto Rico en Riesgo, Inc. is launching a pilot project to empower and train youth and young adults to become leaders in their communities, giving them the skills to lead local recovery efforts.
• Nuestra Escuela’s school in Caguas, which supports disadvantaged youth who  are at-risk of dropping out, suffered extensive flood damage from Hurricane Maria. They’ve begun rebuilding their school and have expanded their daily lunch program beyond their students to serve community members still struggling with food insecurity.
• Taller Salud, Inc. is restoring damaged homes and building new ones, as well as providing rent vouchers for relocation or home acquisition expenses to women and their families in Loiza, Puerto Rico.
• Proyecto La Nueva Esperanza, Inc is providing vital services to the elderly in San Antonio, who account for roughly 32% of the community’s population. They’re delivering meals, bringing people to medical appointments or the supermarket, and transporting community members to recovery-related meetings in San Juan. With support from GlobalGivers, they’ve been able to replace one of their badly damaged service vehicles.
• Instituto Nueva Escuela is rehabilitating damaged Montessori schools in traditionally marginalized communities in Barranquitas, Humacao, Luis Llorens Torres, Cantera, and Vieques, and is also installing solar panels and access to potable water.
• Asesores Financieros Comunitarios and Red de Fundaciones de Puerto Rico, Inc. are focusing on strengthening Puerto Rico’s nonprofit sector by providing workshops and training for local nonprofit staff on how to manage the changing demands on their organizations in Maria’s aftermath.
• Internews is supporting local media and public accountability efforts through their Community Correspondent’s Network—a group of residents from across the island who provide news coverage on the communities where they live. They’re also working with the island’s nonprofit community to improve communication and coordination between organizations ahead of future storms.
• On the island of Dominica, IsraAID’s staff is empowering local women to take the lead in recovery efforts. Together, they’re repairing damaged roofs, launching a beekeeping association to provide new economic opportunities, and providing job training to unemployed young people. All Hands and Hearts is recruiting and training local volunteers to assist with house repairs, with a particular focus on installing new, storm-resistant roofs.

Thank you again for your generous support of our Puerto Rico & Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund, and for making the smart decision to donate cash to fund an effective, community-led approach to disaster recovery. We'll be back in your inbox in the coming months with more stories of progress toward a full recovery for the people of Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean.

Warmly,
Will Frechette + the GlobalGiving Team