TOTE Maritime Partnering with Organizations around Puerto Rico to Provide Relief
November 17, 2017
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Since Hurricane Maria hit on September 20th, TOTE Maritime has delivered more than 17,000 containers of relief and commercial cargo to the island with an additional 2,500 containers scheduled to arrive in the next week. This includes:
- more than 8,000 generators
- more than 4 million gallons of water
- 765,000 bags of ice
In addition to bringing vital goods to the island, TOTE Maritime employees in Puerto Rico have supported more than 20 organizations throughout the island and hosted community events each week to distribute food, fuel, water and other items necessary for day to day life.
Below are some of the main organizations TOTE Maritime has partnered with over the last two months to support diverse and critical relief efforts throughout the island.
Eduardo Pagán, Vice President of TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, together with Fernando Lloveras, Executive Director of Para la Naturaleza, joined efforts to support more than 800 families in four different areas of the Island: San Cristóbal community in the center town of Barranquitas; the Esperanza community in the north town of Manatí; Punta Pozuelo community in the southeast municipality of Guayama; and the Island of Culebra. Arriving early in the morning, employees gathered to prepare food for the community, and later distributed basic need products, groceries, an ice bag, bottled water boxes and 20,000 gallons of potable water to each family. The consumer goods company Unilever also supported this effort providing various hygiene and cleaning items for all the impacted communities. The collaboration will continue to support the communities until no longer needed.
“As soon as we received the offer from TOTE Maritime, we did not hesitate to add their efforts to the Community Fund Para la Naturaleza, which was created after Hurricanes Irma and María. We will continue to reach the communities most in need – the commitment we have with them is long term. In the first instance, we want to support them in their stabilization process, but beyond that, our interest is to help them create the conditions for stronger and more sustainable communities to emerge,” said Fernando Lloveras San Miguel, President of Para la Naturaleza.”
Para la Naturaleza is an organization that brings together all people who seek a sustainable future for Puerto Rico, facilitates transformative experiences in nature, conserves land of high ecological value, encourages the taking of responsibility for our natural resources and promotes public policy that would result in the protection of these natural resources. After the passage of Hurricane María the organization created the Para la Naturaleza Community Fund to bring aid directly to the communities directly around key ecological areas and support rebuilding efforts.
Centro Tau of the Ricky Martin Foundation
In mid-October, TOTE Maritime delivered containers filled with fuel, stoves and medicine on behalf of Monica Puig and Maria Sharapova who visited the island to distribute these items at the Centro Tau of the Ricky Martin Foundation in the municipality of Loíza.
“I am so thankful for the help that TOTE Maritime has given me with my relief efforts for Puerto Rico. To be able to have the supplies shipped to the island in such a fast, safe and efficient manner means the world to me and enabled to make it possible to hand out all these products to the people that needed it so badly” noted Ms. Puig, a Puerto Rican tennis player and the reigning Olympic champion.
TOTE Maritime has been collaborating with P.E.C.E.S. in the southeast town of Humacao. This organization fosters social, economic, educational development of individuals and communities in social disadvantage. The community received a donation and container transportation of 4,000 bags of ice from TOTE Maritime.
Hogar El Buen Pastor
TOTE Maritime donated meals, water, ice, adult diapers and cleaning and hygiene products in the elderly home El Bueno Pastor located in the city of Guaynabo, and impacting over 50 elderly people.
Elderly Task Force
In partnership with the Government of Puerto Rico, TOTE Maritime donated ground transportation to deliver products donated, such as canned fruits, juices and crackers for elderly around the island. These items were donated by different entities such as by Econo Supermarket, PRS, Mars, Unilever and Welch’s.
TOTE Maritime employees from Jacksonville together with the Hunger Fight Meals organization prepared over 5,000 meal kit. Each meal kit will feed a family of 4 and includes rice and beans, oatmeal and macaroni and cheese. The entity is focus on providing nutritious meals to children and families deemed food insecure and hungry and is partnering with a number of organizations interested in delivering meals to those in Puerto Rico.
TOTE Maritime – Supporting Employees and their families
As part of TOTE Maritime’s efforts to help the Puerto Rican people move forward, the company initially focused on providing basic necessities to each employee and their families including items such as electric generators, propane burners, battery fans and other critical items.
Even though all of TOTE Maritime’s employees in Puerto Rico were significantly impacted by Hurricane Maria, it was TOTE’s employees who identified urgent needs around the island and developed weekly programs for supporting various communities and diverse needs.
Together with its partners, TOTE Maritime is committed to meeting to the immediate needs of the island while also supporting the long-term regeneration of the island’s economy which is critical for the people and communities of Puerto Rico as they adjust to life after Hurricane Maria.
TOTE Maritime has served Puerto Rico and its communities for the last 35 years. With the world’s first liquefied natural gas powered ships serving the market, TOTE Maritime can provide twice weekly deliveries to the island.
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