The rapidly deteriorating conditions on the island of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the infrastructure of the US Territory on September 20, 2017 is a humanitarian disaster. Most of the island is uninhabitable and many of it’s residents, American citizens, are expected to relocate (at least temporarily) to the United States mainland. Most experts expect them to settle in New York, New Jersey and particularly Florida.
The Orlando-Sentinel reports that Governor Rick Scott of Florida has declared a state of emergency in order to provide relief services to every single county in Florida for those fleeing the desperate conditions on the island. Disaster relief centers will be set up in Miami and Orlando to help those who may not have family or friends to stay with in order to transition to life in the states. A minimum of 100,000 are expected to settle in the state of Florida. Services provided by the relief centers will include housing, education and employment opportunities.
These Disaster Relief Centers will help Puerto Ricans coming into Florida get matched with all the available state resources they may need and ensure that as families come into Florida, they are given the tools they need to work and provide their children with a great education,” Scott stated.
But the relief center at Orlando International, which will be set up in the A terminal, won’t directly provide resources to those seeking help.
State agencies such as the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Families, along with charities such as the American Red Cross and United Way, will connect those in need with shelter, food and water. Arrivals from Puerto Rico won’t be able to stay at the relief center, airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell said.
“At this point, there is the unknown of how many people or what will be needed, so it is a starting point,” Fennell said. “It’s merely a reception point to say, ‘Here’s what you can look for’ or ‘What do you need?’”
snip“It is extremely important for Florida to be prepared for a large number of evacuees from Puerto Rico,” Cortes said. “So many Puerto Rican families have literally lost everything, and we must stand ready to do everything possible to help their children transition as seamlessly as possible to a new school and learning environment.”
Cortes also requested birth certificate requirements for day-care centers be waived temporarily for Puerto Ricans whose documents may have been destroyed during the storm.
State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said the Legislature should hold a special session, because he estimates hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans are coming to Florida. The 2018 regular session starts in January. “FL needs 2 deal w/humanitarian crisis + over 100K Boricuas who'll seek refuge here right now, not in Jan.,” Smith tweeted.
Courtesy of kaliope
Here’s some great agencies with aid-workers hard at work on the ground in PR right now:
Hurricane Maria Community Recovery Fund
Catholic Relief Services Hurricane Relief (Caribbean-wide