Response Updates

Supplies & Teams Deployed to Puerto Rico After Earthquake

Puerto Rico Reported by Convoy of Hope

April 3, 2020 | 9:30 a.m.

Convoy of Hope team members have recently been quarantined to their homes as a part of an islandwide “Stay At Home” measure. Puerto Rico is following suit with the mainland and extending strict social distancing with a complete curfew from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Residents are not allowed to leave their homes outside of these hours unless they are an essential worker, getting groceries, or needing medical attention.

Convoy of Hope’s response to the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico is now officially complete. The team has shifted their focus to meeting needs on the island related to COVID-19. Here is a final snapshot of what we achieved because of our dedicated staff, partners, and donors.

Response by the Numbers
Family Food Kits Distributed4,587
Meals Distributed144,596
Hygiene Kits Distributed5,095
Solar Lanterns Distributed611
Tarps Distributed702
Water Filters Distributed210
Blankets Distributed63
Families Served4,587
Individuals Served14,541
Churches, Partners & Organizations25
Communities Served11

March 23, 2020 | 8:45 a.m.

A Convoy of Hope Field Team assembled family food kits in our Puerto Rico warehouse to prepare for future distributions. Because of concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, our teams in Puerto Rico are helping as much as possible while still abiding by and complying with federal, state, local, and organizational guidelines. Here are the most up-to-date numbers regarding this response.

Response by the Numbers
Family Food Kits Distributed3,700
Meals Distributed114,269
Hygiene Kits Distributed5,095
Solar Lanterns Distributed611
Tarps Distributed701
Water Filters Distributed210
Blankets Distributed63
Churches, Partners & Organizations25
Communities Served10

March 6, 2020 | 11:30 a.m.

Last weekend, 22 local pastors who serve the four earthquake affected areas held a Community Event, where they handed out groceries, tarps, and bug spray. Local churches continue to pick up supplies from the warehouse and distribute them in affected areas. Here are the most up-to-date numbers regarding this response in Puerto Rico.

Response by the Numbers
Family Food Kits Distributed3,255
Meals Distributed94,072
Hygiene Kits Distributed4,595
Solar Lanterns Distributed611
Tarps Distributed582
Water Filters Distributed155
Blankets Distributed63
Families Served1,032
Individuals Served2,869
Churches, Partners & Organizations12
Communities Served8

February 21, 2020 | 10:30 a.m.

A shipment of additional relief food arrived at the Puerto Rico warehouse this week to assemble and distribute family food kits. A Convoy of Hope Disaster Services team and Field Team are currently on site to assemble family food kits for distributions. Local churches continue to pick up supplies from the warehouse and distribute them in affected areas.

February 7, 2020 | 11:30 a.m.

The last of all 3,000 food bags were distributed this week. Another container of supplies from the Bahamas is scheduled to arrive later this month. More than 800 cans of baby formula were also distributed. Lastly, a delivery came of diapers, baby wipes, and disinfectant wipes.

January 31, 2020 | 4:30 p.m.

Last week, Convoy of Hope teams brought supplies to affected communities in the south. They distributed supplies to more than 200 people in the cities of Yauco and Peñuelas. Supplies were distributed to individuals currently being housed inside a local church, in refugee camps, and in nursing homes.

Yesterday, our team received 8,000 cans of baby formula. In the past 3 days, we have distributed over 1,200 hygiene kits, more than 100 tarps, and more than 700 bags of groceries. Our team on the ground will be receiving more shipments in the weeks to come to continue to meet food, water, hygiene, and sheltering needs.

January 20, 2020 | 4 p.m.

Today, with the help of Field Teams and local volunteers, 500 hygiene kits and 500 snack bags were packed. Additionally, local pastors and partners continue to pick up grocery bags, tarps, bug repellent, and hygiene kits from the warehouse for distribution. Over the weekend, materials were gathered to create both 500 more snack bags and 500 hygiene kits. Field Teams continues to assist Disaster Services in sorting, packaging, and preparing product for deliveries.

January 17, 2020 | 5 p.m.

Today our team drove south to the affected areas in the cities of Ponce, Guanica, and Guayanilla to distribute hygiene kits, solar lamps, bug repellent, tarps, and snack packs to approximately 100 families. Due to yesterday’s 5.9 aftershock, more people have left their homes in fear of them collapsing. The number of displaced people in camps has risen to 8,000, an increase of 3,000 from just two days prior.

The prepared mixed pallets were shipped and delivered to three churches that are acting as feeding locations. Each delivery is packed with more than 12,000 meals. Each church is feeding between 200 and 400 people per day.

January 15, 2020 | 8 a.m.

With the help of local volunteers and a Convoy of Hope field team, we’ve packed 500 snack bags, 1,500 grocery bags, and mixed pallets containing 48,500 meals. They are ready to be delivered and distributed to local feeding sites throughout affected areas. In addition, some local churches have picked up supplies from the Convoy of Hope warehouse so they can directly provide supplies to those living in their communities.

January 13, 2020 | 2 p.m.

More than 24,000 pounds of food were delivered to the Convoy of Hope warehouse in Puerto Rico today. Team members and volunteers are organizing the food and preparing to pack grocery bags with a field team tomorrow. Over the weekend, staff distributed relief supplies to earthquake damaged communities, handed out water, and served hot lunches.

On Saturday, while traveling, a local man saw our team wearing their Convoy of Hope T-shirts and stopped to talk to them. He told them that he’d received groceries from Convoy of Hope for a home that he runs for children during our response to Hurricane Maria. At the time, he was sad that he didn’t get to say thank you to the team. He said that seeing us again in this response was a blessing to him. This is just one more example of the lasting affects Convoy of Hope is making in the lives of Puerto Rican communities.

January 10, 2020 | 8:45 a.m.

Convoy of Hope is responding to the destructive 6.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Puerto Rico on January 7, 2020. News outlets are reporting that more than two-thirds of Puerto Rico does not currently have electricity and that damaged buildings and the threat of additional aftershocks have forced thousands to sleep outside and in parking lots.

“In the face of the new crisis we are facing here on our beautiful island of Puerto Rico, we have seen people once again come together,” says Dary Martinez, Convoy of Hope’s Outreach Coordinator in Puerto Rico. “Hurricane Maria taught us a lot, and we learned that we can do great things together.”

Convoy of Hope is responding with disaster relief supplies, which include food, water, tarps, solar lamps, water filters, and hygiene kits. Additional team members will be deployed next week to help distribute supplies to individuals and families who need it most.

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Here’s an update from Convoy’s @Ethan_Forhetz on our response to #HurricaneHelene so far and what’s ahead. 👇🚚📦 Join our response today: https://h.ope.is/47P1q87