Seven years ago, Hurricane María tore through the Caribbean and left a whirlwind of devastation in its wake. Islands throughout the Caribbean were impacted, but it was Puerto Rico that was hit the hardest — accounting for a staggering 97% of the 3,059 total deaths.
In the years since the tragedy, Puerto Rico has made huge strides in recovery efforts, but scars from the hurricane remain.
Fortunately, two critical nonprofits on the island recently received a huge boost from FEMA to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during Hurricane María.
The nonprofits include The Support and Therapy Center of the Puerto Rico Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association and Bill’s Kitchen, a program that provides free food to those living with HIV/AIDS.
“The social and health needs of our island are different and precise,” José Baquero, FEMA’s federal disaster recovery coordinator, said in a press release.
“We have the great talent and dedication of communities that are ready to meet these needs and FEMA remains committed to assisting in the recovery of these organizations.”
According to the press release, FEMA has granted over $34.2 billion to more than 11,000 projects to address Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane María.
Most recently, FEMA granted the therapy center $35,000 to replace the waterproofing system for its roof and meet critical needs like air conditioners and floor mats for the therapy rooms. Bill’s Kitchen received $470,000 to repair major damages at their main facility.
Both of the nonprofits have proven to be invaluable to the people of Puerto Rico.
The therapy center, which is located in the city of Bayamón, serves over 200 patients with spina bifida — a condition that occurs when a baby’s spine and spinal cord don’t form properly during pregnancy.
In addition to education workshops for local parents, the center provides occupational and physical therapy services to infants and toddlers with the condition.
According to the association’s director, Isolina Laboy Arroyo, the therapy center recently celebrated the discharge of a 3-year-old patient, who “lives a full life, participates in extracurricular activities such as gymnastics and is a girl who enjoys having reached her full potential thanks to early intervention.”
The food service program Bill’s Kitchen is an ode to Bill Fitzpatrick, an architect who died of AIDS in 1992. His mother — Sara Metcalf — lived in San Juan and wanted to honor his memory by providing food and community care to neighbors living with HIV/AIDS.
At first, the program was formed by a group of island grandmothers who served eight clients.
Today, the program serves over 1,175 people a year across San Juan, Bayamón, and Fajardo.
“Although our food is prepared in a professional kitchen and meets the highest standards for medical nutrition therapy, it is still prepared with love, served with a generous heart, and delivered with a warm smile,” reads a mission statement on the nonprofit’s website.
Manuel A. Laboy Rivera is Puerto Rico’s executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resiliency (COR3). He praised the FEMA relief funds for assisting nonprofits like Bill’s Kitchen.
“Puerto Rico has thousands of non-profit entities like this one, which have the commendable work of supporting and contributing to the quality of life of our citizens,” Rivera said in FEMA’s press release.
“At COR3 we will continue to guide them in the process so that they can complete their works.”
Header image via Breezy Baldwin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
