We learned about Dan’s efforts to aid in the effort to help Puerto Rico recover from the devastating hurricane this past fall and wanted to know more about his activities at home and in Puerto Rico. Here is what he told us:
- What are the details of this project?
After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, we felt we needed to do something. Nicole sent me a link to what Chef Jose Andres and his team at World Central Kitchen https://www.worldcentralkitchen.org were doing. We both made donations, and Nicole hosted a small online fundraiser on her birthday, and proceeds were donated to World Central Kitchen. I decided to reach out to Jose and his team, who I had previously worked with through his Think Food Group http://www.thinkfoodgroup.com/ in DC. They mentioned how successful their annual Dine-N-Dash event https://www.worldcentralkitchen.org/dine-n-dash-2017-our-biggest-one-yet was and I was not only astonished, but inspired. I also felt my small donations were a drop in the bucket and wanted to do more. I followed Jose on Facebook and saw that he was feeding 1,000 people a day, which quickly turned into 10,000 people a day, and then 100,000 people a day. His efforts blew me away, and Nicole and I decided to do something on a larger scale.
We started an online fundraising campaign – http://www.GOfundmePR.com. Our goal was to raise $10,000 to purchase generators, water purification systems, and supplies and personally deliver them to families in need in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico during the second weekend in December. In addition to the Go Fund Me campaign, we hosted a holiday fundraiser, which raised over $15,000.
Our fundraiser featured a raffle and silent auction, featuring prints and artwork donated mainly by the photography community in Chicago.
- Why did you decide to create this project?
Earlier this year, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the country without electricity or clean water. The devastation affected us personally as Nicole’s father was visiting family on the island during the hurricane. Obviously, we did not hear from him, as all cell coverage was down. After about a week and a half, we found out he was safe. A family in the town of Santa Isabel took him in and helped him with food and water. They were generous, accepting, selfless – giving. In that same spirit, we decided to pursue fundraising efforts for the cause to help them and their town. Our goal was not only to come together with our friends in hopes of bringing attention to this very important cause, but to make a difference.
3. How many times have you traveled to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit?
We traveled to Puerto Rico once for a week to distribute supplies in the southern part of the island, near Ponce and Santa Isabel.
Procurement & Shipment
We purchased generators, water purification systems, and supplies via Amazon and had them shipped to the studio, as we could not ship directly to Puerto Rico. We packaged everything on a pallet and worked with a logistics company to ensure safe arrival to our destination. We worked with a local “fixer” named Jorge Ferra, who was referred to us by David Begnaud, news correspondent for CBS. We worked together to distribute materials to the people who helped Nicole’s dad during the storm, as well as people in need we encountered along the way.
4. What is the most surprising thing you have learned along the way?
That 50 percent of the island is still without power, four months after the hurricane
5. What are your future plans for this project?
We’ve raised an additional $5,000 in the past couple of weeks and plan to continue our efforts in March. We plan to visit the most remote places in the mountains to help people who will most likely be without electricity for a year or more.
