Broadway Cares grants $250K for Fiona relief; L’Oreal volunteers
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS announced it has awarded a $250,000 emergency grant to the Hispanic Federation to assist the people of Puerto Rico recover from the damages caused by Hurricane Fiona.
Broadway Cares made the donation “on behalf of the entire Broadway community – those onstage, backstage and in the audience – to support on-the-ground efforts providing essential supplies and services to communities most affected by the storm.”
“We’re proud, on behalf of Broadway and the extended theater community, to quickly take action in ways that not only supplement the loss of resources in Puerto Rico but provide some solace to our community members here in New York that help is on the way,” said Tom Viola, executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The grant will provide community organizations working in the most-affected neighborhoods with relief equipment and first aid supplies to respond to the most-urgent needs. The Hispanic Federation has invested more than $50 million in Puerto Rico’s recovery and sustained long-term initiatives to advance many of its civic sectors, including education, health care, renewable energy, arts and culture, agriculture, and disaster preparedness.
The emergency grant was made possible by the successful fundraising at the 2022 Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, which brought together theater lovers in a tangible representation of the community’s support for others.
“I am always enthused to be a part of the fundraising efforts at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and seeing that participation translate into immediate assistance for Puerto Rico reminds me of the necessity of that work,” said Puerto Rican artist and activist Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“The two storms remind us that Puerto Rico is in a state of increasing vulnerability. Solving its energy crisis, the effects of climate change and continued migration off the island are essential priorities for both the citizens of this island and the nation of which it is a part,” he said.
L’Oréal Caribe volunteers in recovery activities
As part of its social commitment to contribute to the recovery of local communities impacted by Hurricane Fiona, a team of volunteer employees from L’Oréal Caribe joined forces to help in response efforts with the donation and distribution of essential supplies in the municipality of Añasco on Sept. 23.
More than 25 volunteers from L’Oréal Caribe directly collaborated with relief efforts led by Mochileando 100 x 35 Foundation, and its founder Wilson Santiago, by delivering immediate supplies and donations to the most affected communities, within 24 to 48 hours.
The team assisted 300 families with canned food, personal hygiene items, water, diapers (for adults and children), hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, and pet food, among other essentials.
“At L’Oréal Caribe we share a great responsibility to support the communities where we live and operate. We stand in solidarity with all the people impacted by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. As soon as we could, our employees responded and acted rapidly to provide relief to affected communities,” said Dave Hughes, general manager of L’Oréal Caribe.
GFR, MCS join to launch Puerto Rico Saludable
GFR Media and MCS Healthcare Holdings, LLC (MCS) announced they are joining forces to create Puerto Rico Saludable, an initiative that will focus on the health-related needs of the community post-Hurricane Fiona.
The effort will activate the Programa Alcance Comunitario to deploy a team to meet with community leaders in Caguas, Salinas, Ponce, Sabana Grande, and Mayagüez to gather accurate data on what is needed and the support each town and surrounding vicinities require. The meetings will be held in each city from Oct. 3-7.
During each town meeting, the team will start providing support to nursing homes and residents with food from the Puerto Rico Food Bank and clothing, with the help of other nonprofit partners such as the Salvation Army of Puerto Rico. Droguería Betances also support the visits by coordinating all distribution logistics.
The coalition will also participate in the Puerto Rico Saludable Aid event in Ponce Oct. 15-16. The two-day program will include support via different events, such as being the distribution center for needed materials to the towns visited by the Programa Alcance Comunitario.
The MCS Foundation has pledged to match every Puerto Rico Saludable donation dollar for dollar, with all monies raised to be donated to the affected residents. Furthermore, MCS has committed 2,000 volunteer hours that MCS employees will donate during October.
