Helping Families in Puerto Rico Prepare for Covid-19 and Hurricane Season

State of the Island

Just as restrictions started to lift from Covid-19, Hurricane Season officially began. The stress of living with Covid-19 is now coupled with Earthquakes and Hurricanes. Puerto Ricans however remain extremely patient and resilient.

Starting on March 15th, Puerto Rico had a very strict curfew in place for six weeks – no one could go anywhere except to the grocery store, pharmacy or doctor. And the strict curfew from 7pm to 5am was in place to not go ANYWHERE. All businesses were closed. A few weeks ago, the governor allowed businesses to start reopening, restaurants, hardware stores, etc., (and we could FINALLY walk/run on the beach!) but the curfew was still from 7pm – 5am. We are celebrating today because finally we can stay out until 10pm (and go to dinner!). And now that grocery stores can stay open longer, the lines to get inside will not be as long.

I resented the restrictions, but was also glad for them at the same time. The Governor took the swiftest, strictest action of all the United States and I think because of that, saved many lives. People in Puerto Rico are good about wearing the masks because they know we are in this together and they don’t want to make others ill. This is a fairly small island with limited medical supplies and limited doctors and nurses – a quick spread would have been disastrous. So far, sadly, 146 people have died on the island from Covid-19.

During this time, many people here have lost their main source of income. Many people work odd-jobs, such as handyman, yoga instructor, nanny, pet-sitter or dog-walker, and these working professionals are not eligible for many of the stimulus checks other businesses have received.

The school system has also been failing children -instead of keeping cafeterias open and ensuring students still got a free meal, as they did in the United States, many of the schools shut down their cafeterias. In fact, only five days ago a judge ordered the Department of Education to reopen the cafeterias within 24 hours or face arrest.

Finding Ways to Help One Another

Fortunately, once again, the people of Puerto Rico have come out as heroes, helping one another survive. We are lucky to have found a few organizations and people who are making a big difference in so many lives.

Despite not being able to distribute many of the solar lights, as we had planned during the lockdown, we worked instead on purchasing personal protective equipment. The masks are very hard to find on the island and hand sanitizer is being marked up. Many older people do not have masks to go into grocery stores (a requirement).

Because of the way the supplies came in bulk, we decided to make individual packets for people, complete with disaster preparation supplies, including: a solar lantern with USB charger, hand sanitizer, 3 pairs of latex gloves, one N-95 mask and 4 surgical masks.

We are still working on getting all the supplies distributed, but here are some highlights of our work over the last few months:

• Provided 100 disaster preparedness packets to Sordos Unidos (Deaf Community United) who are working to get the supplies to many of their members throughout the island.
• Alongside a new organization, Tenedor Social, founded by local chef Mariana Martinez, we distributed 100 disaster relief supply packets at a pop-up soup kitchen. Every week Tenedor Social creates a meal for people, pick a location and drive a food truck there to serve anyone who needs a meal. They are doing this based solely on donations and their good hearts.
  

  Our disaster relief packet: One solar lantern with USB, a bottle of hand sanitizer, 4 surgical masks, one N95 mask, and 3 pairs of latex gloves.

• Partnered with Alacena Feminsta Luquillo, who are facilitating a “Give what you can, take what you need”community pantry for a neighborhood in Luquillo. We were able to donate 500 masks to their pantry. 
• Distributed packets to an elderly community living in Rio Piedras, several of whom were not leaving their apartments because they did not have masks and were afraid.
• Donated a sewing machine to a project for making homemade masks for homeless people. Hundreds of masks were made and distributed. After the project ended, we donated the sewing machine to a woman who makes her living from sewing and needed a new machine.
• Distributed over 1,750 Solar Lanterns
• Distributed 100 quality water filters
• Purchased 5,000 surgical masks, 500 N-95 masks, 300 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 3,000 latex gloves. 

We greatly appreciate all the donations we have received and continue to receive. We feel humbled and honored to be able to give back to the community and know we could not do it without everyone’s support.

Thank you!

Jami Broom, Director
Together Puerto Rico