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Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico on Sept. 20 as a Category 4, bringing sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, decimating the island's electric grid and causing wide-spread flooding.
Three weeks later, the vast majority of the island was still without power, save that of generators, and many places had no access to drinking water.
When Jessie Goodyear spoke to her mother on Saturday morning, her mother had just been forced to put back all of the items she was trying to purchase at a Walmart.
Goodyear's mother lives in Puerto Rico, and when the generator supplying power to the super store failed, she was unable to purchase the items she needed.
Goodyear is one of the organizers of Puerto Rico Rises From Alabama, and the group spent Oct. 14 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church collecting supplies for the Puerto Rico relief effort.
"Puerto Rico is a long-term project," Goodyear said, explaining that the groups efforts will continue long after the collected supplies are shipped to the island at the end of the month.
Goodyear said that with the help of Alabama Power Company, the group is working to get its 501(C)3 status, and plans to send a delegation of professionals to the island to help with the long-term recovery effort.
She said the group will send healthcare, education and other professionals, and is in it for the long-haul.
"We are here, and we are here to stay," Goodyear said,
Puerto Rico Rises From Alabama will continue to collect items through Oct. 28 at the University of Montevallo and all Hoover Fire Department stations and will again be collecting:
- Water bottles
- Candles
- Matches or lighters
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Paper towels
- Can openers
- Canned/dry food
- Hygiene items, feminine items and toiletries
- Cleaning supplies
- First Aid kit items
- Disposable plates and cups
- Garbage bags
- Clothing
- Diapers for babies and adults
- Powdered milk
- School supplies
- Mosquito nets
- Mosquito repellent (liquid)
- C and D batteries
