December 21, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn (RFD-TV) Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on the US territory of Puerto Rico back in September, destroying homes and businesses and claiming lives. In the aftermath, several organizations have stepped up to help, including the national FFA organization.
Puerto Rico FFA member Amanda Reyes Morales weathered the storm with family, in her grandparents home.
“That was interesting,” Morales said, speaking of the experience, “because they live right beside a mountian. There wer three landslides, and during the hurricane we had to clean up all the dirt that was getting inside and all of the water. Thank God that my dad has a construction company because he had a digger close, so in the middle of the hurricane he got up in the digger and tried to start making a hole through the dirt so that the water could stop coming inside the house.”
Earlier this year, morales was selected to participate in the national FFA Convention Chorus, but due to the storm, her airline ticket was canceled – twice! With the infrastructure in choas, nearly 100% of the island lost power. Running water was scarce and the transportation and communication infratructures were destroyed.
But amid the storm’s aftermath, Morlaes has found a silver lining: “I take it as a learning experience, because it helped us come together as a family, as a community, and as a country.”
At the 45 day mark since Maria’s landfall in Puerto Rico, FEMA reported water had been restored to 83% of residents, but only 41% had electricity.
The FFA organization is accepting donations to help the island’s local FFA chapters at the following address:
PR FFA ASSOCIATION
ATTN: NOEMI RAMIREZ
FFA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
P.O. Box 190759
San Juan, PR 00919-0759
Please make checks payable to:
The Futuros Agricultures de America
