Local and National Relief Efforts for Puerto Rico

This fall, Hurricane Maria left Puerto Rico devastated, and many Puerto Ricans in danger, without their homes, running water, food, gas, or power. Relief efforts in Puerto Rico remain essential, but we also see families and communities we work with in Connecticut affected and in need of help.

Connecticut Food Bank employee Peter Bellacicco, ready to depart for Texas.

Feeding America has been dedicated to relief efforts in multiple ways. Food bank truck drivers, for example, were offered the opportunity to distribute much needed supplies throughout the island. Connecticut Food Bank employee Peter Bellacicco recently travelled to Texas for two weeks to help with relief efforts there.

Many Connecticut organizations, including Connecticut Food Bank member programs, have joined relief efforts, sending supplies and coordinating drives to raise funds and provisions. Work is underway in the Hartford region, led by Greg Florio, Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), to operate a Hurricane Relief Welcome Center. Bridgeport’s CT Loves Puerto Rico campaign worked with more than 100 local restaurants and bars for community-based fundraising efforts.

How can you help?

Please join us in the effort to support Puerto Rican families relocating to Connecticut. We’ll keep you updated with more information as the situation develops

• For our member programs experiencing the influx of Puerto Ricans seeking refuge in Connecticut, we want to hear from you: Email Alanna Gilbert to let us know what you’re seeing, your ideas about how to best support those arriving in our communities, and what Connecticut Food Bank can do to support your efforts.

• Consider raising funds to donate to Feeding America or Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico, to support the relief efforts of those on the frontlines for our neighbors still in harm’s way in the hurricane’s aftermath.

• Check in with your local city, town and community networks to support their efforts.

• The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection has begun to compile a points of contact list from state agencies that may have the capabilities to help families or individuals from Puerto Rico who have been impacted by Hurricane Maria and are seeking to relocate to Connecticut in an effort to recover from the storm. The resources/services needed may include food, housing, educational assistance and crisis counseling just to name a few. UW211 is taking calls and compiling data from Puerto Rico evacuees who are in need of resources/services. They are asking agencies who have resources or services available to complete this UW211 form. This is an effort to “collect information on the type of services that can be made available should the need arise.”

This process is just beginning here in Connecticut and more information and details will follow as they develop.