Vineyard USA Checks In With Convoy Of Hope – Puerto Rico

Current Convoy Of Hope Relief Update – Puerto Rico

Contact Convoy Of Hope via their website to send funds or teams.

Situation:

Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 20, 2017 on the southeast coast or Puerto Rico causing significant damage both by wind and flooding. Communities all over the country experienced upwards of 20-30 inches of rain. Power was knocked out in totality across the entire island. Out of 1,600 communication towers, 1,360 were damaged or destroyed. While the death count has remained relatively low, there is little or no access to basic services and goods.

Statistics:

Families Served: 18,656

Individuals Served: 74,624 (+589 orphans at 6 orphanages)

Meals Served: 984,121 (+272,160 meals donated to Nazarenes)

Volunteers: 638

Volunteer Hours: 4,543

Sawyers: 393

LuminAid: 104

Debris Removal Job: 1

Distribution Locations To Date:

• Bayamon
• Hato Tejas
• Anasco
• Toa Baja
• Fajardo
• Manati
• Juncas
• Carolina
• Caguas
• Santa Isabel
• Yauco
• Naranjito
• Aguas Buenas
• Las Lomas
• El Cafetel
• Cubuy
• San Juan
• Mayaguez
• Lares
• Las Pisuelas
• Juncos
• Humacao
• Guayanilla
• Santa Isabel
• Veca Baja
• Loiza
• Orocouis
• Toa Alta
• Adjuntas
• Villa Hugo
• Santa Olaya
• Verde Mar
• Coamo
• Jayuya
• Luquillo
• Gurabo
• Sierra Bayamon
• Jacanas
• Sabana Grande
• At Risk Veteran Locations
• Vega Alta
• San Sebastian
• Morovis
• Barrio Nuevo

Partners/Churches To Date:

• FEMA
• Guardian Angels (trucking)
• Puerto Rico A/G
• Pan American Grains
• Pueblo Supermarket
• Iglesia Fuente de Agua Viva
• NHCLC
• Gold Roads Trucking
• Iglesia El Calvario de Carolina
• Iglesia Mision Cristiana Juan 3:16 Caguas
• Iglesia Antioquia
• Juan 3:16 Mayaguez
• Iglesia El Faro
• El Calvario – Fajardo
• Iglesia A/D Juncos
• Iglesia Sierra Bayamon
• Templo Pent. Hato Tejas
• Iglesia A/D Anasco
• El Sendero de la Cruz
• Iglesia Macedonia A/D
• Iglesia Rosa de Saron
• Two Children’s Orphanages
• Iglesia Menonita Collazo
• Mayor – Veca Baja
• La Senda Antigua
• Iglesia Santa Isabel
• Iglesia A/D Anasco
• Min. Reabilitacion Hacederes
• Paula White Ministries
• Iglesia A/D Sierra Bayamon
• Iglesia A/D El Calvario
• Primera A/D Juncos
• Primera A/D Gurabo
• Pentecostal A/D Luquillo
• Wounded Warrior Project
• 1st Iglesia A/D de Jacanas
• Grupo de Recuperación
• Asamblea de Igl. Cristiano
• Hacedores de Misión
• Igl. A/D Sierra Bayamon
• Centro Cultural de Morovis
• A/D de Fajardo
• Iglesia Evangelica Lima A/G
• Igl. Cristiana Discipulos de Cristo

Daily Updates:

Wednesday, October 11^th, 2017

Today, 32 volunteers packed over 1000 family food kits. We also received another 20,000 pounds of rice from Pan American Grain our supplier here in PR. We were able to make a plan for the containers that COH purchased for the continued effort of long-term recovery on the island.

Tuesday, Ocotber 10^th, 2017

Our team is continuing to source food locally while we await the arrival of containers. Local volunteers are working very hard to package family food kits for distribution. With the addition of several team leaders we have been able to keep operations going while also attending coordination meetings. We have 4 containers on the water and our PR team is meeting directly with the shipping company in-country to ensure on time delivery. Pray with us for a breakthrough in shipping.

Saturday, October 7^th, 2017

Our team continues to acquire food and supplies within Puerto Rico while the containers we have shipped are delayed due to the shipping companies bottleneck. As new needs keep surfacing, the team and our partners have adjusted plans multiple times in order to provide supplies to the most vulnerable. The DS team is continuing to acquire food commodities in Puerto Rico while also shipping product and looking for Air Freight options as well. Likewise, the team on the ground is trying to gain access to FEMA product and/or donated product that falls under the authority of the FEMA mission in Puerto Rico.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Today our team met was able to meet with FEMA regarding the possibilities of getting in the federal pipeline. Nothing has been decided but we will continue trying to gain access to federal commodities. The bulk of our warehouse activity today was focused on bagging food packs for 1,025 families for distribution later this week.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Today volunteers continued to bag product for distribution. We sent out 500 family food kits to four different locations. The team had the help of 150 volunteers throughout the day to help bag and distribute.

This weekend we will be adding 4 more team members to our on the ground operations to increase capacity in anticipation of inbound containers.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Over 47,000 lb. of rice was delivered to the warehouse today along with beans, oil, and salt. Today and tomorrow, volunteers are working in the warehouse to package these bags into kits for distribution. Guardian Angels delivered 100 family food packs today.

The rest of the product is being packed to make 11,000 family food kits, which will be distributed to 1,000 families in 11 different locations.

Tomorrow, a distribution is planned for Toa Baja for around 300 families.

Monday, October 2, 2017

The team continued to receive purchased product from local vendors. Coordination of trucking options for inbound containers also took place as we plan for more distributions this week. Volunteers will continue to help packing food for distribution. The team is making preparations to receive 3 containers from Springfield on Oct. 9^th.

Thursday, September 28

Today we settled on a warehouse space for our distribution operations in PR – the mayor of Bayamon provided it to us free of charge.

We also purchased additional food commodities through the largest grocery chain on the island. The owner is a relative of the AG superintendent and has been very accommodating. Bags were also included in this purchase so we can get bagging operations off the ground.

A forklift and pallet-jack were also acquired today, which was a big win as they are in short supply here. FEMA has equipment tied up all over the island.

Tomorrow Rob Clay and Ivan De La Torre will travel to the other side of the island to connect with several pastors who will be receiving relief supplies by this weekend.

On a sour note, our brand new rental vehicle died on us this afternoon. Tomorrow we will find another solution to replace it.

Wednesday, September 27

• Today our team purchased 40,000 lbs. of rice to be delivered to a newly acquired warehouse tomorrow (9/28)
• Other commodities will be purchased and delivered tomorrow so bagging operations can begin.
• Sunday we are expecting our first shipment from Springfield to arrive
• Today, with the Superintendent and his leadership team, we identified 3 cities that will serve as distribution hubs over the next 3 months.
  • Rio Grande
  • Mayaguez
  • Santa Isabel
• COH will purchase three containers to place at those locations to serve as temporary warehouse facilities
• Our dealings with local pastors from multiple church networks as well as private sector businesses have been very productive. Many of them are connected to high-ranking government officials including the First Lady, Secretary of State, and the Governor.
• Communication continues to be a hindrance. Networks (cell and internet) are down in the vast majority of the country. This causes everything to run slower.
• Lines for fuel remain long as well as ATMs and banks.

Tomorrow:

• Team will secure a forklift to unload 40,000 lbs. of rice
• Potential meeting with the First Lady through a church we are partnering with
• Begin bagging operations if all deliveries go as planned

Testimony:

The AG superintendent has been extremely grateful for COH’s presence in Puerto Rico and has been moved to tears on several occasions. His heart for unity and compassion are contagious and we see partnering with Ivan de la Torre as an honor.

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For more information on Convoy Of Hope, see this video below from our 2017 National Conference.