Long-term hurricane recovery efforts

By GAF. 

When disaster strikes, it takes a village to bring communities back to their normal operations. GAF is committed to providing this ongoing support to areas that need it most. 

Amid hurricane season, communities that have most recently been hit are at the forefront of our minds. Unfortunately, hurricane recovery efforts often take years, not months or weeks, to build communities back up again. Years after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, buildings remain in disrepair and power grid failures have become normal. Through the GAF Community Contractor Program, GAF has continued to provide roofing materials, installation training and manpower to build more resilient communities on the island and support the people who live there.  

Hurricane Maria hit hard 

Hurricane recovery services are needed as urgently today as they were in 2017 when Hurricane Maria struck, leaving behind 15-foot-deep floodwaters, about $90 billion in damage, an estimated 2,975 lives lost, and the longest power outage in U.S. history. For 11 months, residents waited for electricity to be fully restored. 

Short-term disaster relief poured in post-storm. But years after the news cycles ended, Puerto Rico still remains — metaphorically — underwater. Schools and hospitals have fallen into hurricane-related disrepair, and insufficient fixes to the power grid cause frequent blackouts and brownouts. 

To make matters worse, hurricane-damaged homes that weren't repaired suffer compound damage from years of subsequent storms and exposure. 

Puerto Ricans stand strong 

The people of Puerto Rico are strong and proud, determined to rebuild. However, the availability of needed resources poses a considerable challenge. For many, the funds needed to repair an unsafe roof are simply out of reach. Economic opportunities are scarce, and the government is heavily in debt. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 42% of Puerto Rican people are in poverty. 

Unfortunately, lower-income Puerto Rican households most vulnerable to Hurricane Maria were also least able to recover from the financial strain of repairing storm damage. With wind speeds up to 155 mph, extensive flash flooding and wind tunnels ripping through the mountainous terrain, homes throughout this area were no match for the Category 4 hurricane. 

GAF helps build resilience 

To help those impacted, GAF partnered with Team Rubicon, local nongovernmental organizations and community members through the GAF Community Matters initiative to assist in Puerto Rico hurricane recovery. Since hurricane Maria recovery efforts began in 2017, GAF has donated materials for over 500 roofs and helped install them, bringing relief and shelter to families all over the island. 

This work has meant more to this community than just keeping their homes dry. Mr. Alfredo — a homeowner who received a new GAF roof — said, "There is nothing more important in life than to have a place to come home to, spend quality time in, sit and be at peace." 

 For all of Puerto Rico's strength and perseverance, many families still live in unsafe conditions due to hurricanes. GAF can't stop storms, but it can help build resilience. 

To that end, in addition to installing roofs, GAF, through the GAF Community Matters initiative and GAF Roofing Academy program, provided free roof installation trainings to local organizations in vulnerable Puerto Rican communities. Educating communities on roof installation creates a greater ability to adapt and bounce back when the next storm hits. 

Joining the effort for good 

In addition to its focus on roofing innovation, GAF remains committed to partnering with local organizations to build resilience in communities across the country. Team members will continue to donate time and materials to support and strengthen communities wherever the need may be. 

Curious to learn more about this project and other initiatives GAF is involved in? Explore GAF Community Matters. 

Original article and photo source: GAF