Puerto Rico needs your help

Puerto Rico needs your help as the people try to recover from Hurricane Maria.

Without electricity, food or drinkable water these men and women are in need of supplies.

There are 3.5 million people in Puerto Rico (Americans, not that it matters) with limited or no access to potable water. And there’s a law called the Jones Actthat is impeding supplies from getting through. 

The law says that ships going between US ports must be built in America, sailed by Americans, and fly the American flag. Problem is, only two percent of all the world’s cargo is carried by compliant ships. And most of those are off somewhere else. 

President Trump can waive the Act to allow foreign vessels to dock. He waived it after hurricanes Harvey and Irma. He needs to do it again.

Please call your representatives and have them demand a waiver for Puerto Rico. Here’s how:

1. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and follow the prompts to reach your Senator/Congress Member.

2. Read the script below, filling in the blanks with your information.

“Hi, my name is [NAME], I am a voting constituent living in [CITY/TOWN] and my zip code is [ZIP CODE].

I’m calling to urgently request that [YOUR SENATOR / CONGRESS MEMBER’S NAME] please call DHS to demand an immediate waiver of the Jones Act so that additional rescue and relief resources can get to Puerto Rico. 

The destruction caused in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria has been significant, comparable in scale to Katrina.  The federal government’s response needs to be increased immediately.  We cannot allow a Caribbean “Katrina” to unfold. The safety of 3.5 million U.S. citizens is at stake.   

Thank you so much for your time. ​

3. If you can, please consider a donation to a trusted fund who will get the needed supplies to the people.

There are thousands of gay men and women living on the island trying to pull their lives together.

Please keep these people in your prayers and send the people positive energy.

The death toll from Maria in Puerto Rico was at least 10, including two police officers who drowned in floodwaters in the western town of Aguada.

That number was expected to climb as officials from remote towns continued to check in with officials in San Juan.

Authorities in the town of Vega Alta on the north coast said they had been unable to reach an entire neighborhood called Fatima, and were particularly worried about residents of a nursing home.

Puerto Rico before the storm…

Puerto Rico after the Storm…

What would you do if this happened to you?