USVI Hurricane Recovery & Building Forward

Thanks to your generous support, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands provided grants totaling $626,377 for 19 projects with funding from the Island Spirit Fund from 2018 through 2022. Grants were focused on hurricane recovery and resiliency projects through workforce development, housing repair and assistance, environmental protection, and community planning and were spread throughout the territory on the islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John.

A summary of all the projects supported and their impact are listed below.

Coral Bay Community Council: Environmental Recovery Waste Reduction Targets in Coral Bay (St. John) $30,000

This project aimed to remove leftover hurricane debris from the shorelines and roadways of Coral Bay in order to support environmental recovery, improve the natural and built environmental aesthetics, and have a clean and safe environment. Over 260 cubic yards of debris (combined total with DPNR efforts) were properly disposed of. Grant funds also supported the design and creation of a donkey- and chicken-proof litter receptacle, in cooperation with My Brother's Workshop, for future deployment around Coral Bay's restaurant areas.

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park: Native Plant Restoration (St. John) $40,800

FVINP supported native plant restoration, protection, and education on St. John. The project included three phases: removal of non-native, invasive plants; native plant propagation; and planting select native plants and trees with volunteer support. More than 184 sea grapes and other native coastal plants were planted along the Maho Beach shoreline, which suffered severe beach erosion after the storms due to the loss of vegetation. In total, more than 300 native plants/trees were planted along coastal areas. Grant funds also supported a community plant giveaway to help raise awareness about the project, the value of native plants, and to foster a sense of ownership and pride for the island's environment. Over 100 individuals/families received native trees at the giveaway.

SEED SPOT: Empowering Entrepreneurs to Fuel Recovery Efforts (St. Thomas) $34,500

SEED SPOT provided resources and training to Virgin Islands-based entrepreneurs, building their capacity to innovate and lead change within the community. During the grant SEED SPOT hosted two Launch Camp experiences and served a total of 31 entrepreneurs - 68% were women, and 88% were entrepreneurs of color.

Island Green Living Association: Commercial Composting Phase 1 Vegetation Chipping (St. John) $100,000

IGLA implemented a commercial composting system to process vegetation waste into mulch, recapture a rich and valuable resource on St. John (brown & green material), reduce the volume of debris headed for the territory’s overflowing landfills, and lower solid waste transportation costs. A large wood chipper and other necessary heavy equipment were acquired to chip vegetative material and over 800 yards of material were turned into mulch and shared with a local school and community members.

Clean Sweep Frederiksted: Urban Garden Project (St. Croix) $40,000

Clean Sweep Frederiksted created and implemented a comprehensive 8-week Urban Garden Workforce Development program. During the program sessions, participants were provided with educational content and hands-on experience in the community garden. They learned how to clear and prep land, install irrigation, design their garden space, propagate and transplant plants, built a composting bin and pile, learned about pest and water management, and how to harvest and price their products. Of the 17 participants, 15 received their farmer's license and 13 established plots at the Frederiksted Community Garden, and the remaining participants started home gardens or already had working farms.

We Grow Food: Bordeaux Farmers Fruit Tree Restoration Project (St. Thomas) $25,000

This project resulted in over 900 hours of volunteer labor serving 33 farmers and planting and distributing over 550 fruit trees to farmers and the community on St. Thomas. These fruit trees helped restore the local ecosystem and agriculture industry, which was devastated during the 2017 hurricanes. A workshop on best practices for the preparation of fruit trees prior to hurricane season was held for local farmers, in partnership with the University of the Virgin Islands.

University of the Virgin Islands (UVI): Campus Recycling Project (St. Thomas/St. Croix) $50,000

UVI started a recycling program on both campuses, but the official launch was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent campus closures. Student volunteers helped with recycling units, educational posters, and the operation of cardboard and can bailers. Due to the ongoing issues caused by the pandemic, remaining grant funds were reallocated to support the needs of the Sustainability Lab on the St. Thomas campus to further increase sustainability outreach and education efforts by installing a renewable energy system, a solar generator kit, a composting system, and demonstration kits to help students visualize and understand renewable energy concepts.

St. George Village Botanical Garden: Trees for St. Croix (St. Croix) $77,124

This grant was used to promote tree planting on St. Croix through the development of a 1500 sq. ft. nursery, seed bank, and training of staff. Trees were propagated, grown, and distributed to more than 1000 interested residents, primarily to replace trees lost during the 2017 Hurricanes Maria and Irma. More than 6,000 trees have been planted in the new nursery and are being grown for distribution.

University of the Virgin Islands (UVI): SEAS Your Tomorrow Program (USVI) $33,333

The overarching goal of the Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (SEAS) Your Tomorrow Program is to create a transferable model for broadening participation in STEM that uses innovative partnerships, support programming, and targeted interventions, to build scientific identity and increase interest and engagement in STEM by U.S. Virgin Islanders. Four undergraduate students from the UVI participated in early career research and professional experiences, including coral restoration and whelk surveys. Three Masters in Marine & Environmental Science students participated in the Bridge to the Ph.D. Program, where they completed an 8-week summer research experience at Pennsylvania State University.

St. Croix Environmental Association: Native Tree Restoration Projects (St. Croix) $15,000

This grant increased the number of native trees on St. Croix through planting and community tree giveaways. Planting native trees is an important aspect of hurricane recovery as it restores the natural ecosystem so it can better withstand future storms. Native trees have adapted to withstand the impacts of hurricanes, their root systems hold soil in place, and they host native pollinators which are essential to forest recovery and the production of fruits. 170 trees were given away to the community and 140 trees were planted at the Southgate Coastal Reserve and Barren Spot Bat Tower. Funding also allowed for the purchase of equipment and supplies to aid in the long-term upkeep and maintenance of the planted trees.

University of the Virgin Islands: Glass Recovery Project (USVI) $50,000

The grant funds were used to purchase 7 GL-Sand crushers to pulverize glass beverage bottle waste within the USVI into reusable products such as sandbags and to hire a student worker to assist with operations. UVI found partners to receive some sand crushers and ramp up glass recycling efforts. They are working with VI Waste Management Authority which intends to purchase industrial-scale machines to divert all glass beverage bottle waste from the landfills. 2 glass crushers on St. Croix have been provided to the DPNR office in Anna's Hope and remaining grant funds were used to purchase some equipment to support operations, including a storage shed and a trolley to transport glass and sandbags. 125 sandbags were handed to St. Thomas residents during the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season and 4,483 glass bottles were crushed.

University of the Virgin Islands: Environmental Native Fruit Tree Program with a focus on Water and Soil Quality in the USVI (St. Croix/St. Thomas) $16,860

This project addressed food and water security in the territory while building up a network for drought monitoring by enhancing weather station management and calibration, providing virtual training to over 6,000 community members on a variety of environmental topics, creating a fruit tree replanting initiative, hosting a farming conference with local leaders, and rebuilding the local fruit tree population. With the help of student project workers, more than 1,500 drought-tolerant trees and growing instructions have been given out to residents and farmers to help rebuild farms devastated by the hurricanes. Over 250 samples of a variety of native fruit tree seeds and saplings have been planted, which will be given out to the public when they are ready for distribution. In combination with other grant funding, a network was created across the USVI to monitor environmental elements including wind, rain, humidity, solar radiation, and particulate matter. About 2,000 water filters were distributed to the community and 7 weather stations and 40 rain gauges have been ordered for placement at local farms, homes, and public areas to help with drought monitoring. UVI also purchased and installed two water pumps to increase water access to the Bordeaux area for farmers and homeowners who have been given trees.

Love City Strong: Bellevue Community Stakeholder Meeting and Community Center Improvements (St. John) $16,000

Funding was used in two phases to 1) facilitate a community meeting with the residents of Bellevue Village to gather stakeholder feedback about potential improvements or additions to the Bellevue Community Center, and to give residents the opportunity to express their visions for the future of the facility and 2) to provide those improvements to the Bellevue Community Center and its partner center located in Calabash Boom, Coral Bay by increasing access to reliable internet, quality technology, and additional seating to better support community meetings, work, and education-related activities for community members. All of the purchased items were identified by residents with the goal of improving the community space for residents to utilize in blue skies and in the event of a disaster event. This is a community comprised of mostly low-income seniors and families with small children and these residents benefit from increased access to technology, and the opportunity to comfortably gather in and around the shared space. In the event of an emergency, these residents will be able to communicate with friends and family outside of the territory, as well as safely gather for community meetings.

Women’s Coalition of St. Croix: Empowerment for Today and Tomorrow (St. Croix) $40,380

Funding was used to support a Housing Assistance Program that provides financial assistance to families for rent and utilities and to support a Financial Literacy and Workforce Development Program that teaches personal financial management and job readiness skills. A financial manual was developed and clients have been screened for the 6-week program. Individuals will receive financial assistance upon completion of the financial program.

Community Action Now: Savaneros United Now (St. Thomas) $16,000

Funding was used in two phases to 1) formally create the Savaneros United Now group by hosting community meetings to discuss local needs and visions and implementing a community needs assessment and 2) to further develop and grow the Savaneros United Now group by recruiting two Creole and Spanish-speaking community navigators to do direct community outreach, get more families in the Savan community involved in communal events and match them to available resources.

Love City Strong: Minor Home Repairs (St. John) $40,380

Funding was used to execute critical hurricane-related home repair projects on St. John that are minor yet essential for a safe and healthy home. The program is open to full-time St. John residents who have received little to no recovery funds from other sources, with priority given to seniors, families with young children and infants, and persons with a disability or chronic health condition. This grant was used to pay for repairs on the homes of senior residents of St. John to not only improve their quality of life in blue skies but also make the structures more resilient in the event of a future disaster. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Thomas/St. John, Inc: Oswald Harris Community Recovery and Resilience (St. Thomas/St. John) $1,000

This grant supported work with community residents and partners to ideate and implement recovery and resilience projects important to them in St. Thomas and St. John. Grant funds were used to help clean up the common areas in two neighborhoods by hosting community cleanup events and placing painted containers for individuals to deposit trash. Volunteers also fixed and cleaned the community center used by many residents as a gathering space.