Trey Pollard trey.pollard@sierraclub.org
OAKLAND, CA -- Today, as part of the organization’s recovery and relief efforts after Hurricane Maria, the Sierra Club shipped 1,000 solar lanterns to partner organization Casa Pueblo in Puerto Rico to bring light to the hardest-hit communities on the island - and more lamps and water filters are on their way. At the same time, volunteers delivered meals door-to-door in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico alongside partners from Centro Para la Conservación del Paisaje. These and other community-led efforts like them are funded by resources from the more than $1.2 million contributed by almost 19,000 Sierra Club members and supporters during fundraising efforts following Hurricane Maria.
The contributions of Sierra Club members and supporters to Maria relief and recovery broke the online one-day fundraising record for the organization, surpassing even the days following Trump’s election and inauguration. In an effort to ensure all of the money raised goes directly to support a just and equitable recovery in Puerto Rico, 100% of the funding will be allocated to support organizations in Puerto Rico working on relief and long-term recovery, with the Sierra Club paying for all administrative and transaction costs.
“The damage caused by this historically devastating storm in Puerto Rico is stunning, with families and entire communities losing everything to the tornado-like winds and floods. The road to a recovery that rebuilds while leaving no one behind will be a long one, but I am immensely proud to be a part of an organization whose members and supporters recognize that we can only get there by helping out and working together,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. “We are committed to supporting a recovery in Puerto Rico that is just, equitable, and comprehensive, lifting up those who were hit the hardest and working to fix the environmental injustices that this storm made worse, and these resources can hopefully help get that recovery started.”
The Sierra Club is working with community partners identified by the in the Sierra Club Puerto Rico Chapter to support immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts. This is an unprecedented response from our members and supporters, and our staff are mobilizing to develop a robust infrastructure with additional capacity to manage the distribution of these resources to community organizations - a challenging task as our staff, volunteers, and their families are without power and water. Still, while more resources are to be allocated in forthcoming days, among those receiving funds from the first allocation of resources are the following environmental, social justice, and community organizations: The Proyecto Comedores Sociales of the Centro para Desarrollo Político, Educativo y Cultural, Fideicomiso de Conservación e Historia de Vieques, Brigada Utuado, Tierra Valiente, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Nuestra Escuela, Taller Salud and Centro de Apoyo Mutuo Rio Piedras.
“While Maria’s effect on homes and families across the island has been devastating, working with all of the different communities and organizations that are coming together for a just and equitable recovery is inspiring,” said Adriana Gonzalez, Environmental Justice Organizer for the Sierra Club’s Puerto Rico Chapter. “We have worked with so many of these community partners that are deeply rooted in neighborhoods and small towns for so long to fight environmental injustices and now we are committed to continue working directly with them in the weeks and months to come to ensure the hardest-hit communities in Puerto Rico rebuild and recover. The work ahead of us is daunting, but this partnership will be a foundation upon which we can fight for a just and equitable recovery.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.