Donations for Puerto Rico pour into Lawrence collection center

LAWRENCE, Mass. — For five days, Lawrence residents have been contributing with donations to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Volunteers have been working non-stop to get these goods in the hands of those who need them the most.

Hurricane Maria ravaged the U.S territory last week, causing the entire island to lose power and damaging the local agriculture severely.

Local Puerto Ricans were unable to contact family members for days, which led some to begin efforts to gather donations.

"The desire was 'let's do something for Puerto Rico' and I said 'you know what, that's exactly the thing I want to do," said Terika Smith, a volunteer with the United for Puerto Rico initiative.

After the storm hit, Terika and three others launched the United for Puerto Rico campaign in Lawrence, but she didn't think as many people would be volunteering to help out.

"What we had projected has way exceeded our expectations, so we are excited," Terika said. "We do not want (these donations) to be stored in warehouses until a set date, or just delivered in Puerto Rico. We want this to get to the hands of the people."

Volunteers like Lisa Cintron are helping collect and organize the donations which will fill several trucks.

"Our people are hungry, our people are in pain, our people are cold. We need to get them what they need," Cintron said.

Cintron's family lives in Juana Diaz, on the south side of the island. For the last five days she's been busy helping with the donation efforts while she desperately waited for word that her sister survived the storm.

"They're okay, all their houses are destroyed but they're alive," Cintron said.

Along with other volunteers, Cintron hopes that the boxes will end up in their loved one's hands.

United for Puerto Rico will accept donations until Saturday.

Cox Media Group