Puerto Rico’s conditions remain dire since category four Hurricane Maria made direct landfall on Sept. 20. Described by Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rosselló as, “the biggest catastrophe in the history of Puerto Rico in terms of natural disasters,” others are calling the devastation “apocalyptic.”
According to Rosselló, as of one week after the initial chaos, about 97% of the island’s 3.4 million residents were still without power while nearly half of the population remained without running water. Faced with catastrophic damage and lacking basic necessities like food, fuel and clean drinking water, Puerto Rico is in desperate need of assistance.
University organizations around the United States, as well as multiple groups within the FSU community, are making efforts to help their fellow U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico by sending over necessary supplies and money. Here are some efforts that you, as an FSU student, can contribute to:
The sisters of Kappa Delta Chi will be collecting items at every Market Wednesday until Oct. 14, including water, first aid kits, hygiene products, non-perishable foods, diapers and more.
Courtesy: Facebook
The Puerto Rican Student Association will be hosting FSU’s Global Café lunch hour on Oct. 6. Featuring cuisine from Puerto Rico at $7 a plate, this event will serve as a fundraiser to support Puerto Rico’s hurricane relief.
Courtesy: Facebook
A GoFundMe called “Students with Puerto Rico” was started by college students in the U.S. and encompasses several schools nationwide, including FSU. The proceeds from the campaign will go to Unidos por Puerto Rico, a public-private initiative started by the office of the First Lady Beatriz Isabel Rosselló and a group of companies to help the victims of the storm. The campaign raised over $120k in its first seven days and continues to garner support.
Courtesy: GoFundMe
Last week, FSU collected donations for Operation Airdrop, an organization comprised of pilot volunteers who deliver supplies to recovering hurricane victims. The school accepted donations around campus to be sent to Puerto Rico on Friday, Sept. 29. Follow FSU’s official Facebook page as well as Operation Airdrop to be notified of any similar efforts in the future.
Rep Image Art Courtesy of Cindy Tosca-Ramos.