Fundacción MMM, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico, Filantropía Puerto Rico and Direct Relief joined PathStone Corporation's appeal to help families who lost their homes after the earthquakes in the south of the country in 2020.
Guayanilla, Puerto Rico - (February 27, 2023)
The earthquakes in the south of the country in 2020 took away their house, all their belongings and almost their lives. They are four sexagenarian and blind siblings. From today and after three years, siblings Myrna, Perfilita, Wilson and María García Torres will have a safe home equipped with everything they need to have a good quality of life.
Like these four siblings and after losing everything, two other families from Guayanilla are celebrating the fact that they now have a home with a safe roof over their heads in which they can live. Thanks to the support of Fundacción MMM, Direct Relief, Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico (FCPR), Filantropía Puerto Rico and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, PathStone Corporation managed the project for the construction of the homes for the elderly and those with urgent health needs at a cost of $450 thousand.
“The completion of these projects demonstrates that even with the challenges of rising construction costs, it is possible to develop housing without sacrificing quality and space. Once again, private sector partnerships and donations make the difference,” said Maria Rodriguez, PathStone Corporation's Housing Program Director.
On January 7, 2020, the four siblings managed to get out of their home alive just before it collapsed, thanks to the fact that one of them, the last to be blinded, directed them to an exit leading to the house's courtyard. A nephew then arrived to help them.
Carla Haeussler-Badillo, executive director of Fundacción MMM, added that “improving the quality of life of those in need is part of our mission and is what moves us every day to continue working. Today we see these families receiving their new homes, a great example of how we can all do our bit to achieve real changes. In Fundacción MMM we are full of joy to see these families so excited to receive their new home and we are pleased to have been part of this great project”.
Ivonne Rodríguez-Wiewall, executive advisor for Direct Relief in Puerto Rico, highlighted the importance of contributing to the health and quality of life of those affected by the earthquakes. «At Direct Relief we are honored to be able to collaborate with Pathstone to give a home back to families who were displaced by the earthquakes that affected southern Puerto Rico. In this way, we are helping to mitigate the detrimental effects this crisis has had on their health and well-being. This project reflects our mission to help people affected by emergencies,» said Rodríguez-Wiewall.
Another family that will receive a new house in this first phase of the project is that of Rafael Hernández Rivera and his wife Lilliam Rodríguez. Both 75 years old, they were left without their “lifelong” home, where they raised their three children, because it collapsed after the earthquakes that shook Guayanilla.
Likewise, the married couple Axel Caraballo and Cecilia Williams, their two-year-old son and a niece are the third family that will be able to count on safe housing. At the moment they live with relatives because the house was declared uninhabitable by the Guayanilla Office of Emergency Management. The assistance offered by FEMA was not enough and they lack the resources to make the necessary repairs. Cecilia suffers from chronic conditions that sometimes make it impossible for her to walk, so she needed an adequate and accessible home to care for her son.
Meanwhile, PathStone Corporation's Director of Housing Programs said that she has already identified three other homeless families in the south who do not have the resources to build a new home. However, she took the opportunity to call on the private sector to collaborate with donations to make the second phase of the project a reality. «We continue working to serve three other families, but we need more donations. In these cases the Municipality of Guayanilla took care of the demolitions, however, it is still a challenge for them to complete the remaining ones, which would entail other costs for us to cover on our part,” said Rodríguez.
Dr. Nelson I. Colón Tarrats, president and chief executive officer of the PRCF, emphasized the importance of working as a team to support the families in the south affected by the earthquakes of 2020. “In the face of the emergency caused by the earthquakes, which was later complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Puerto Rico Community Foundation was immediately activated to respond strategically to the pressing needs of the moment. Access to safe housing was one of the areas of focus, as we recognize that the absence of a safe home exacerbates the vulnerability of communities. At that time, we joined with the Miranda Foundation and Filantropía Puerto Rico to support PathStone's ‘Community Housing Recovery: Support a Southern Family’ project. This is a clear example of what can be achieved from the philanthropic sector and in collaboration,” said Colón Tarrats.
In reviewing the three cases, Rodríguez emphasized that “having allies such as Fundacción MMM, Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico, Filantropía Puerto Rico, Direct Relief and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York allows us to achieve what would not have been possible in any other way, to give back to families in the south of the country a dignified and safe home. Undoubtedly, there is still much work to be done, but we are counting on the solidarity and spirit of service of the private sector. I know that together, united... we can do it.
Those interested in making a donation can do so through ATH Móvil Negocios - Pathstone You can also contact us by email at mrodriguezcollazo@pathstone.org For more information about our organization, please visit PathStone Corporation Puerto Rico on Facebook and www.pathstonepuertorico.org.