DENVER, CO and YAUCO, PUERTO RICO — January 14, 2020 — (HISPANICIZE WIRE) — La Clínica Solidaria is an initiative of Americas for Conservation + Arts in partnership with Acción Social and FURIA (Firmes Unidos y Resilientes en la Abogacía, Inc.), and the support of dozens of community leaders. The first clinic in Guayanilla was born from the humble petition of grassroots physician Dr. Enid Santos who reached out to AFC+A for a tent to provide first aid and emotional support to her people after the natural disaster of this past Tuesday, January 7, when a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico. Thanks to the Puerto Rico Earthquake Resilience Fund (PRERF) that AFC+A had launched on the twelfth hour after the quake, the organization was able to partner and amplify the efforts.
Services provided by the clinics are possible thanks to the generous support of the following collaborators: FURIA y Acción Social provided volunteers, transportation, social workers, and metrics; civic leader Carlos Alberto Velázquez facilitated renewable energy systems and logistics support; Architect Carla Gautier donated a mobile unit to house the Yauco clinic; Liza Minelli, community leader of Tampa, Florida, mobilized resources in the diaspora; Fernando Pineda, director of community engagement for the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust shared his NGO’s collaborative network; Angela Sousa of NetHope and Charlotte Gossett Navarro of Hispanic Federation answered with valuable supplies; Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez, through its representative Andrés Lloveras, offered the location for the clinic’s placement as well as medical personnel. A special thanks go to Jesus Garcia of Compression Health Care for the donation of numerous medical supplies and Jonah Sargent of Footprint for solar energy.
We are in urgent need of medical staff volunteers, medicines, and funding to cover insurance related costs, portable toilets, and stipends for volunteers including transportation expenses.
AFC+A is a non profit incorporated in Colorado since 2011 and in Puerto Rico since 2017. In response to Hurricane Maria, AFC+A launched La Guagua Solidaria, helping 102 agro ecology farms across the island recover from the devastation. Through its education program of promotoría verde, efforts to advance a more sustainable and resilient future for the island continued in the form of environmental leadership summer training camps in Jayuya and Orocovis, graduating 82 youth and 25 teachers since the summer of 2018. The vision of Promotores Verdes is to cultivate environmental literacy in families to secure public health and forge employable rapid response leaders capable to effectively support their communities in time of natural disasters.
Just after two years since Hurricane Maria devastated the island, Puerto Ricans are now struggling with the effects of another natural disaster. This crisis exposes the growing challenges Puerto Rico faces. There is an island-wide power outage and federal aid will take a long time to get to the island. Actually, the aid approved by US Congress after Hurricane Maria has still not reached those who need it the most.
Nevertheless, many in the non profit work space are quickly mobilizing to meet urgent needs. And just as with our response efforts to the 2017 Hurricane Maria and Mexico’s earthquake, our work begins within 24 hours after the initial January 7th disaster losses and will continue for at least 24 weeks to accompany and support the recovery process.
Solidarity, compassion, and giving are all part of our identity as Latinos, and as Americans. We unite in times of tragedy, we thrive in challenging times, and we give in times of need. Our brothers and sisters, our families in Puerto Rico need our support now more than ever.
You can make a one-time donation but we highly encourage weekly donations.
Puerto Rico Earthquake Resilience Fund Donation
For more information and to make your donation TODAY please visit our Puerto Rico Earthquake Resilience Fund (PRERF) and/or contact Ana Sánchez, Director of Programs, AFC+A 787-685-7919 ana@americasforconservation.org | Jonathan Cintrón, Director Puerto Rico, AFC+A 303-669-8907 cintron@americasforconservation.org | Adi Martinez, Founder, FURIA, 787-383-6070
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