WEST SPRINGFIELD — As they sorted through bags of batteries, diapers, water bottles and hand sanitizer Friday, Jade Rivera-McFarlin and Corrine Dumont talked about their upcoming trip to Puerto Rico.
Both women work for the Gándara Center, which has spent the last few weeks collecting momentary and other donations to help victims of the earthquakes that struck Puerto Rico earlier this month, leaving many on the island without shelter and electricity.
“The community has really been so generous,” said Dumont, communications and development associate for the organization.
The group will land Monday in San Juan and then make its way to Ponce, where a Gándara recruiter will take them to some of the most affected communities on the island. The organization has a recruiter on the island because it frequently hires Puerto Rican clinicians to work in its facilities across Western Massachusetts.
“We have a strong connection to the island not only because of the clients we treat but also because of our staff,” said Rivera-McFarlin, director of marketing and development.
Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez visited the organization to express his appreciation. He has family members living in the affected areas. Gomez said the city is also doing whatever is necessary to help evacuee families as they arrive.
“Springfield and Holyoke have welcome centers where people who are just arriving have been going for services,” he said. “We are not sure what those numbers will be, but just last week we had a family of 19 including a grandfather, aunts and uncles arrive.”
Gomez added that the city is still working on finding permanent housing, jobs and mental health services for evacuees who arrived after Hurricane Maria struck the island in 2017.
“Our focus has been sustainability,” he said. “Many of these families were living in hotels for almost a year, and after getting them temporary housing we are now working on providing them housing, steady employment.”
It is still unclear how many families will move here due to the earthquakes. Gomez said there was already a steady migration before Hurricane Maria. “The financial crisis had people arriving here well before these natural disasters,” he said.
As for those remaining on the island, many need emergency supplies.
“After having a conversation with Sen. Carmelo Rios Santiago from Puerto Rico, we were told what are needed most are survival backpacks,” Rivera-McFarlin said.
During a conference call with state and local officials including U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, the senator said many Puerto Ricans are living in tents outside their homes.
“Many of these communities have homes that were built without code enforcement in mind. People buy a plot of land and they just build, so when a natural disaster like this strikes the infrastructure cannot handle it,” he said.
Rios Santiago said thousands of families are in need of housing, but the survival bags will help them manage living outdoors for days or weeks.
“We shifted gears a little bit when he told us that and we have received so many backpacks and survival basics,” Rivera-McFarlin said.
Beyond donations from the general public, the Gándara Center also received $1,000 from the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee as well as several hundred dollars from Neighbor to Neighbor. Brightwood Elementary School donated about 150 backpacks and a local insurance company donated hundreds of reusable water bottles.
“Freddy Venegas, who owns Aquarius nightclub, came through with backpacks and tents. It’s been amazing to see the response,” Rivera-McFarlin said.
Some of the packages have already been shipped, and JetBlue has covered the cost for 30 additional packages.
Gándara Center staff will be on the island for five days.
