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Westbrook Hosts Benefit for Puerto Rico

Want to donate to help victims of Hurricane Maria’s wrath in Puerto Rico, but don’t know which charity to use? The Town of Westbrook is ready to help match donors with an established non-profit organization—Casa Boricua—that has the means and contacts to put donations on the ground and in the hands of hurricane victims in this U.S. territory.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Mulvey Municipal Center, volunteers will be waiting at a box truck in the parking lot to receive tax-deductible donations of cash, youth backpacks, and school supplies to help the children of Puerto Rico and of warm coats for those Puerto Rican families that have to relocate to Connecticut because their schools are gone and the supplies, destroyed.

Backpacks, binders, pencils, and pens are among the suggested items. Also suggested are water purification tablets for those families still struggling to get access to clean water.

The event is being spearheaded by Amanda Wilderman, a Westbrook High School student.

“I’m lucky enough that the hurricane did not hit me, but when I see a need like this, I want to help others,” said Amanda.

Superintendent of Schools Pat Ciccone said that so far, Hurricane Maria has brought just one student to the Westbrook schools from Puerto Rico. This student had come to Connecticut to visit a relative, but then was stranded and could not return home.

“An advisory from the State of Connecticut Department of Education and the governor has been issued to alert schools to use the homeless services protocol,” said Ciccone.

This protocol allows school districts to register young people without immunization and identification records, likely lost in the storm, so that they can attend school in Connecticut.

“Lack of records is not an impediment to enrolling in school. Also students would be eligible for free and reduced price lunch,” said Ciccone. “We as schools are required to provide what students need to be educated. What they might need in the fall, for example, is clothing.”

The Saturday, Oct. 21, donation collection will benefit both Puerto Rican students who have to move to Connecticut to attend school and those still in Puerto Rico who hope to return to school on the island soon.

The Oct. 21 event at the Mulvey Center is a relief project supported by the Westbrook Public Schools, Westbrook First Selectman Noel Bishop (R), State Senator Art Linares (R-33), Representative Devin Carney (R-23), and members of the State of Connecticut Hispanic and Puerto Rican caucus. The goal is to collect cash donations—checks to be made out to the non-profit organization Casa Boricua/Hurricane Relief Fund—and school supplies for Puerto Rican children whose schools and homes were destroyed by the hurricane. For those children who now and in the coming months will move to Connecticut to continue their schooling, donations of new or gently used coats, backpacks and also school supplies would be welcome.

For more information, contact event organizer Amanda Wilderman at 860-399-6494 or at amandawilderman@aol.com.