PUERTO RICO HURRICANE RECOVERY UPDATE DECEMBER 2019
TOTAL PROGRAM IMPACT
7,807 3,114
LIVES IMPACTED VOLUNTEERS
36,051
VOLUNTEER DAYS
1,595
JOBS COMPLETED
Current Activities When you fly into Puerto Rico at night you see an immense archipelago of lit baseball fields. Baseball is more than just a game in Puerto Rico, it brings communities together. The Mendez Baseball field was home to the Little League World Series (Caribbean Region), but unfortunately the field was destroyed after Hurricane Maria. Following the storm, there were no recreational facilities in Yabucoa, no place where children could escape from their damaged homes, or where friends and families could gather and regain a sense of community. Thanks to our incredible team of AHAH staff and motivated volunteers, this is no longer the case, and the beloved Mendez baseball field has been repaired and restored. We’re proud to be able to help bring a sense of normalcy back to the community, and provide the children of Yabucoa with a place to play, learn and host international games.
Community Stories Since his home was devastated by Hurricane Maria, Adalberto Moctezuma, known in the community as “El Mudo,” has been living with broken windows, mold, crumbling ceilings and walls, and, in some parts of his home, no roof. Born deaf, Adalberto’s inability to communicate with others made it hard for him to ask for help. Instead he kept documents and photos of the damage to show us how his home looked just days after the storm. We’re pleased to say the AHAH team has now repaired Adalberto’s home and it’s almost unrecognizable from his photos! Click here to learn more about the work in Puerto Rico.
Learn about our programs at
allhandsandhearts.org
Disaster Profile On September 20th, 2017 Hurricane Maria’s 155 mph winds plowed through the island of Puerto Rico, resulting in one of the worst natural disasters in the island’s history. Hurricane Maria first made landfall over the municipality of Yabucoa, affecting the 37,000 residents who call it home. This area bore the strongest brunt of the storm, where hundreds of homes are still today in need of basic roof repairs and where we continue to focus our efforts.
Our Work Thanks to critical support from partners, like Medtronic and The Giustra Foundation, donors, local community and volunteers from around the world, we have run an impactful program since January 2018. Our work in Yabucoa includes mucking and gutting, mold sanitation, roof repair and critical home repairs. We are also focusing on community spaces in need of clean up/repair and will be alongside the community on the long road to recovery.
About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure. We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator six years in a row and a Perfect 100. Less than one percent of rated nonprofits have received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.
Our Partners in Puerto Rico
info@allhandsandhearts.org (508) 758-8211