By Natalie M. Colon-Arroyo | External Resources Consultant
Techos para el Caño is hard at work ensuring our community members have a new, resilient roof to replace the one Hurricane Maria took from them.
As has been the case throughout the duration of the project, providing quality, professionally-built roofs has been our goal. Our architects ensure the roofs built are safe, resilient, well designed, and adapt to each home’s specific situation. They have assessed a total of 97 homes to evaluate hurricane inflicted damages, and, as safety is a priority, to ensure they can appropriately support a new roof. In the past, if a home could not support a roof without additional repairs, we were unable to help. We’ve since considered homes that need additional minor repairs to support a roof to evaluate on a case by case basis if the additional repairs are viable, while still guaranteeing structural safety and maintaining the repairs within the allotted budget. We’ve had success with this strategy, allowing us to help a greater number of families.
Contractors have carried out roof repairs or construction as specified by our architects, ensuring appropriate anchoring and construction. Your donations, along with those of nonprofit organizations, have helped us provide 90 families new, resilient, permanent roofs.
After they have been fully constructed, each of these 90 roofs has been inspected by our architects to ensure quality and compliance with standards. Every inspection has yielded positive results, meaning roofs inspected have been constructed according to the specifications set by our architects. Our community members agree that the roofs are up to standards. Their reactions show that what seems to be most striking for those we’ve helped is the quality of the work done:
“Es una maravilla, un trabajo profesional y genuino que solo ellos hacen. Ahora puedo pasar un huracán en ella. ¡Muchas gracias!”
“It’ marvelous, professional and genuine work that only they [the work crew] can do. Now I could endure another hurricane in it [my home]. Thank you very much!”
- Eliseo, homeowner
“Estoy bien satisfecha. El trabajo es de calidad. Doy gracias a Dios y pido bendiciones para todos. Las pasé feo luego del huracán. Buscaba ayuda y no la conseguía, hasta que llegaron ustedes.”
“I’m very satisfied. It’s quality work. I give thanks to God and ask for blessings for everyone. I had an awful time after the hurricane. I sought aid but didn’t get it, until you arrived.”
- Roselia, homeowner
“Estoy bien agradecido. Ahora sé que tengo un techo que aguanta. Quedó bien.”
“I’m very grateful. Now I know that I have a roof that holds up. It was well done.”
- Marcos, homeowner
We’ve surpassed our initial goal of how many roofs we would build, but we will continue to help as far as funding allows and there is need in our communities. Many still live under tarps, and for some, we are the only aid they will receive. We thank you for your part in the aid we provide. With your help, we can continue to build the kind of roof our community members deserve.
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By Natalie M. Colon-Arroyo | External Resources Consultant
By Natalie M. Colon-Arroyo | External Resources Consultant
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