As Puerto Rico’s largest airline, JetBlue is committed to helping restore the island after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. JetBlue’s latest project in its100x35JetBlue initiative, which honors the popular reference to Puerto Rico’s 100×35 mile size and outlines the airline’s commitment over 100 days – and beyond – to launch 35 initiatives to support the island, is now underway.
In late September 2017, Hurricane Maria made a direct hit on Puerto Rico, with winds of 155 miles per hour and as much as 30 inches of rain in a single day in some locations. Much of the island’s infrastructure was completely destroyed – including their electricity grid and their communications infrastructure. Three months later, five Intel employees traveled to the Mayagüez region of the island to assess hurricane damage at the local schools.
One year following Hurricanes Maria and Irma, Puerto Rico is still rebuilding.
In 2018, Bacardi provided a $1 million grant to Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, to aid in long term recovery, providing support to small business owners and tourism restoration in the Caribbean.
One of these programs included the restoration of Tamarindo Bay, Culebra. Volunteers came together to clear debris from 1.3 miles of coast. Seasoned divers were deployed below water to help replant and stabilize coral.
More than a year after Hurricanes Maria and Irma hit the Caribbean, recovery efforts continue. As home to Casa BACARDÍ Visitor Center and the world’s largest premium rum distillery in the world, the recovery of Puerto Rico remains a priority for Bacardi. In 2018, the company provided a USD $1 million grant to Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, to drive longer term rebuilding and recovery, providing support to small business owners and tourism recovery in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Martin.
Héctor L Ayala-Del-Río recently received an unexpected thank you card: It was from a local high school science teacher, explaining that she was having a challenging time in her classroom, but how a recent event that Ayala-Del-Río and his team organized made all the difference. She had attended an Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE) teacher appreciation event at the Caguas Science Center, and the act of being recognized “made her feel that everything was worth it and that she should keep going,” says Ayala-Del-Río of the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao.
JetBlue Foundation provides $135,000 in grants to Ciencia Puerto Rico, EcoExploratorio, Inter American University of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Aviation Maintenance Institute
Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, November 8, 2018 /3BL Media/ – JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) today announced the JetBlue Foundation has awarded $135,000 in grants to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs in Puerto Rico to aid in long-term post-hurricane recovery. Grants of varying amounts were provided to organizations that are investing in the island’s future and placing aviation and STEM top-of-mind as career choices for students.
