Support for Hurricane victims in PR and DR

Almost 5 years to the day after Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is again suffering the effects of a destructive hurricane. Just hours before making landfall on the island, this tropical storm turned into a hurricane and caused unprecedented damage throughout Puerto Rico, especially in the southwest. During the storm, 100% of the country suffered electrical power outages. Hurricane Fiona has caused widespread destruction and catastrophic flooding in multiple locations, killing at least 16 people, cutting off access to running water, and spurring island-wide power outages. Communities in the Dominican Republic are also facing significant damage and displacement after Fiona hit.

Low-income communities often face the worst destruction and slowest recovery, have fewer resources, are forgotten by reconstruction efforts and are underserved by insurance companies. Many communities were still living under tarps, waiting for help to arrive after Hurricane Maria... 5 years later. These communities were especially devasted by Fiona, completely destroying homes and shelters that managed to survive the impact of Maria years before.

We are a group of educators at Pine Village Preschool, a Spanish Immersion School serving the greater Boston area. Many of us are from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and have relatives and friends suffering from the storm's effects. We also have Pine Village families that share these ties. As a community, we can make an impact by sending aid to those that are needing it most.

We have identified a few organizations in both Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico that are actively reaching those most affected and in need. We will be raising money to make donations to these organizations so that they can reach more.

*Taller Salud*

A grassroots and feminist organization based in Puerto Rico is actively seeking donations to fund basic necessities like over-the-counter medicine, canned food, water filters, and lanterns to help in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

*Maria Fund*

Created after Hurricane Maria leveled the island in 2017, it has created an open letter to the internet calling out the government's lack of action and transparent plans to repair the island. They're working with HASER, the Federation of Teachers of Puerto Rico, Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, and other community-based organizations to raise donations for both immediate and long-term needs.

*Jompeame*

A fundraising platform for social causes in Latin America. They focus on helping people get the money they need to help others. Since 2013, they have raised more than 7 million pesos and helped more than 150 causes in the Dominican Republic.

*Fundación Cruz Jiminián*

Dominican Republic–based organization, is one of the groups leading the charge on the ground, founded initially to get safe and equal access to medical services. The founding doctor, Cruz Jiminián, and his team are currently in touch with people in affected areas and are sending out medical help to those in need. They’re currently working with a private University in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s capital.

In addition to raising funds, we are also seeking to collect clothing for shipping to Puerto Rico. One of our Brighton parents, Maruxa Fabian-Perez, is helping us organize this goal. Her sister currently resides in Ponce, P.R. and will receive the shipments and manage the distribution there. We are asking our families to please bring in gently used clothing items (all sizes, both adult and children). We will use donation funds to ship the items to Puerto Rico. Please, support us if you can... anything helps.

Gracias,

Denise Barcelo, Diana Medina, Bartola Contreras, Patricia Gomez, and the Pine Village Community