Repairs to Hogares Teresa Toda post H. Maria in PR

Greetings to all our Donors and thank you once again for your unconditional support.

As many of you know, Hurricane season in the Atlantic runs from June 1st through November 30th, being the month of September the peak of the season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting above-average hurricane activity this year with a range of 14 to 21 named storms including 3 to 6 major hurricanes. NOAA provides this ranges with a 70% confidence, reason why preparation is the number one priority for this season.
Puerto Rico has a very complex history with Hurricane María, a category 5 hurricane that hit the Island back in 2017. It has been the worst natural disaster in recorded history for Puerto Rico with 3,000 deaths. The power in the Territory was restored after 11 months and, as of today, 3,600 families continue to live under blue tarps in their houses. The government still phasing a power crisis in the Island now with more blackouts than ever and a very weak electrical power infrastructure. Reason why the possibility of another major hurricane in Puerto Rico is not encouraging at all.

Hogares Teresa Toda is performing natural disaster drills with all the participants and staff, preparing emergency management bags, collecting non-perishable food, and providing maintenance to the premises in the event of a natural disaster. One of the priorities is to provide deep maintenance to the two power generators at the facility as they are deteriorating. The maintenance for the generators is to be paid from the Organization's operational/non-restricted funds. These funds are limited, and it is because of donors like you that we are able to keep up the maintenance of the facility overall.

Hogares Teresa Toda prays for a quiet September of 2022, but it is also prepared to endure a major storm. Thank you all for your confidence and continues support!

Hogares Teresa Toda is committed to maintain a healthy and safe environment for the girls that we serve, the staff and all visitors coming to our fracilities.  The physical environment of the organization shows evidence of ongoing attention to safe practices, reduction of health and safety risks, and an overall concern for the health and safety of the persons served and personnel. 

In preparation to the 2022 Hurricane Season, Hogares Teresa Toda, is  taking affirmative preparation actions to endure any natural disaster event.  One of the major areas needing attention has been the roof of the three buildings in our premises.  During this quarter the sealing of the roofs were divided in three phases as budget  permited.  This work has been possible thanks to the support from donors like you and other community stakeholders.  

Other areas assessed in preparation to the Hurricane Season 2022 have been the emergency procedures considering unique needs of persons served, and things that are appropriate and specific to the service delivery, site or location to promote safety in all types of emergencies.  Being prepared and knowing what to do help the persons served and personnel to respond in all emergency situations, especially those requiring evacuation.  During this quarter, Hogares Teresa Toda conducted evacuation drills for emergencies like earthquakes and fires as well as utility shut down drills in the event of electricity and/or water shut down. 

Hogares Teresa Toda will continue working hard to grant a culture of safety for years to come.