Puerto Rico STILL needs YOUR help
Donation protected
My name is Richard Forde and I'm a British expat that has lived and worked in Puerto Rico for the last 17 years.
Nearly 6 weeks after Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico we are STILL in desperate need of your help.
Much of the island still has no power, no water, limited access to food and drinking water and no phone or internet service to communicate with anyone living outside their immediate area.
After 6 weeks of helping family, neighbors, friends and anyone who I can reach get back on their feet I have exhausted my resources and am asking for your help to allow me to continue the work and reach out into the island where help is needed most.
Picture 1: Roads blocked, power lines down, people stranded without water, power or food. No communication with the outside world. La Villa De Torrimar in Guaynabo.
Picture 2: In this picture from Rio Grande the winds blew in the windows and then sucked out closet doors. Many properties have been flooded and furniture destroyed but the power of the hurricane knocked down brick walls and sucked off roofs.
With your help I will continue to:
*Deliver food and essentials to families with limited access to this inside the island in the most hard hit areas.
*Continue to fill and transport 55 gallon drums of drinking water to families who do not have access to running water for drinking or bathing
*Continue to fill and transport diesel drums to those in need
*Provide help to those with generators that need oil, and filter changes.
*Deliver messages and food supplies between families who are separated from loved ones in the states and here. At my home we have communication, wifi and live right next to Cosco which is the only supermarket on the island (except Sams) with a good supply of meat, dairy and water .
*Clear and remove fallen trees and debris in areas that have still not been reached by emergency services of FEMA.
*Continue to give away taupaulins and batteries to those in need
Videos:
During Hurricane:
Hurricane Maria-trying to capture the ferocity of the storm
During Hurricane Maria from my 'safe' vantage point. tried to capture the ferocity
Aftermath:
Day 1 after Hurricane Maria-coming out of my house for the first time
Hurricane Maria Aftermath Video Guaynabo Day 2
Driving out of my neighborhood for the first time
Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico aftermath Day 5 Day 10, Driving my 2 year old to school for first day after hurricane with my 2 other kids.
Go fund me Videos:
Gofundme video 1 Intro -week 4 deferred to week 6 due to poor internet connection
Gofundme Video2 update/supplement at week 6
Gofundme Video 3 additional update at week 6
Videos of some of my clean up and relief efforts:
1. Cleaning Local Kids Park
2. Pumping diesel into drums usually used for my teambuilding raft building events to distribute to those in need
Why start now?
Even though its been 5 weeks since hurricane Maria hit I see very slow progress to get the island back to normalcy. Even with the US army helicopters and C10 airplanes in the sky en-mass they really are only scraping the surface. With FEMA stretched to the limit with Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Irma in the Caribbean and Florida and now the wildfires in California its hard to blame them for not giving us undivided attention.
I see some progress but I have become more and more frustrated with how slow it is. For this reason I am taking matters into my own hands and helping the way I know best.
The other reason I am only just starting is that it has taken me this long to get back on my feet. We are very lucky to have generator power in my home and mains water came back on day 5. We have found the best place to get food is costco which is 4 minutes drive from my house. No other supermarkets seem to have fresh produce or consistant water or dairy products. Costco has been the best bet and continues to grow in options versus the other stores and supermarkets that in many cases don't have freezers or fridges that work.
Why give to my go fund me and not other organizations?
I am in the best position to help because of all the affected areas we are in the middle of the metro area with access to shops for food and water (without lines), diesel and gas without lines (as of last week)
I have a team of helpers experienced in working together.
I am 4 minutes drive from the best costco on the island for supplies
I have access tomains water and the means to transport it
I have cellphone signal and internet access.
My teambuilding company employees have years of experience producing social responsibility events for corporate America and we are already making an impact.
Success stories/achievemts so far:
*Loaned five 55 gallon drums that I usually use for my teambuilding events to those in need using them for water and diesel transfer and storage
*Delivered five 55 gallon drums full of diesel to those in need in the guaynabo area and filled them at my friends factory.
*cleared areas inundated with fallen trees and vegetation...see local park
*provided help changing filters and oil on generators to those who have them and need help with this service.
*Gave away huge 40' x 40' taupaulins to someone who has nothing in the town of Luquillo on the east of the island.
*Gave away diapers, bottled water and clothing to neighbors collecting for the central island areas.
Nearly 6 weeks after Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico we are STILL in desperate need of your help.
Much of the island still has no power, no water, limited access to food and drinking water and no phone or internet service to communicate with anyone living outside their immediate area.
After 6 weeks of helping family, neighbors, friends and anyone who I can reach get back on their feet I have exhausted my resources and am asking for your help to allow me to continue the work and reach out into the island where help is needed most.
Picture 1: Roads blocked, power lines down, people stranded without water, power or food. No communication with the outside world. La Villa De Torrimar in Guaynabo.Picture 2: In this picture from Rio Grande the winds blew in the windows and then sucked out closet doors. Many properties have been flooded and furniture destroyed but the power of the hurricane knocked down brick walls and sucked off roofs.With your help I will continue to:
*Deliver food and essentials to families with limited access to this inside the island in the most hard hit areas.
*Continue to fill and transport 55 gallon drums of drinking water to families who do not have access to running water for drinking or bathing
*Continue to fill and transport diesel drums to those in need
*Provide help to those with generators that need oil, and filter changes.
*Deliver messages and food supplies between families who are separated from loved ones in the states and here. At my home we have communication, wifi and live right next to Cosco which is the only supermarket on the island (except Sams) with a good supply of meat, dairy and water .
*Clear and remove fallen trees and debris in areas that have still not been reached by emergency services of FEMA.
*Continue to give away taupaulins and batteries to those in need
Videos:
During Hurricane:
Hurricane Maria-trying to capture the ferocity of the storm
During Hurricane Maria from my 'safe' vantage point. tried to capture the ferocity
Aftermath:
Day 1 after Hurricane Maria-coming out of my house for the first time
Hurricane Maria Aftermath Video Guaynabo Day 2
Driving out of my neighborhood for the first time
Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico aftermath Day 5 Day 10, Driving my 2 year old to school for first day after hurricane with my 2 other kids.
Go fund me Videos:
Gofundme video 1 Intro -week 4 deferred to week 6 due to poor internet connection
Gofundme Video2 update/supplement at week 6
Gofundme Video 3 additional update at week 6
Videos of some of my clean up and relief efforts:
1. Cleaning Local Kids Park
2. Pumping diesel into drums usually used for my teambuilding raft building events to distribute to those in need
Why start now?
Even though its been 5 weeks since hurricane Maria hit I see very slow progress to get the island back to normalcy. Even with the US army helicopters and C10 airplanes in the sky en-mass they really are only scraping the surface. With FEMA stretched to the limit with Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Irma in the Caribbean and Florida and now the wildfires in California its hard to blame them for not giving us undivided attention.
I see some progress but I have become more and more frustrated with how slow it is. For this reason I am taking matters into my own hands and helping the way I know best.
The other reason I am only just starting is that it has taken me this long to get back on my feet. We are very lucky to have generator power in my home and mains water came back on day 5. We have found the best place to get food is costco which is 4 minutes drive from my house. No other supermarkets seem to have fresh produce or consistant water or dairy products. Costco has been the best bet and continues to grow in options versus the other stores and supermarkets that in many cases don't have freezers or fridges that work.
Why give to my go fund me and not other organizations?
I am in the best position to help because of all the affected areas we are in the middle of the metro area with access to shops for food and water (without lines), diesel and gas without lines (as of last week)
I have a team of helpers experienced in working together.
I am 4 minutes drive from the best costco on the island for supplies
I have access tomains water and the means to transport it
I have cellphone signal and internet access.
My teambuilding company employees have years of experience producing social responsibility events for corporate America and we are already making an impact.
Success stories/achievemts so far:
*Loaned five 55 gallon drums that I usually use for my teambuilding events to those in need using them for water and diesel transfer and storage
*Delivered five 55 gallon drums full of diesel to those in need in the guaynabo area and filled them at my friends factory.
*cleared areas inundated with fallen trees and vegetation...see local park
*provided help changing filters and oil on generators to those who have them and need help with this service.
*Gave away huge 40' x 40' taupaulins to someone who has nothing in the town of Luquillo on the east of the island.
*Gave away diapers, bottled water and clothing to neighbors collecting for the central island areas.
Organizer
Richard Forde
Organizer
Guaynabo, PR
