Six young men from Ontario joined a couple from Alberta and a man from North Carolina and successfully completed our two final projects by Thursday afternoon. Even the tropical depression that settled in on Tuesday night could not stop the...
Disaster Date:09/20/2025
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hurricanes
What Happened
Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 as a high-end Category 4 storm, bringing a large storm surge, very heavy rains, and wind gusts well above 100 mph (160 km/h). It flattened neighborhoods, crippled the island's power grid, and caused an estimated 2,982 fatalities and US$90 billion in damage.
What MDS Is Doing
MDS volunteers will work alongside the Roofs for My People repairing roofs. “Roofs for My People” is the English translation of Techos Pa’ Mi Gente, a nonprofit organization that builds roofs and reconstructs housing in Puerto Rico after natural disasters: Mission: To build proper roofs for homes and reconstruct housing in communities affected by natural disasters.
Location
San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital and largest city, sits on the island's Atlantic coast. Its widest beach fronts the Isla Verde resort strip, known for its bars, nightclubs and casinos. Cobblestoned Old San Juan features colorful Spanish colonial buildings and 16th-century landmarks including El Morro and La Fortaleza, massive fortresses with sweeping ocean views, as well as the Paseo de la Princesa bayside promenade.
Weekly Reports
Weather related flight problems caused our group of five from upstate New York to arrive at midnight on Tuesday instead of Sunday afternoon. Even with the shorter week with a full contingent of volunteers, the house and porch roof were completed at...
Volunteers this week focused on one home. They came from Canada, Iowa and Pennsylvania. As is often the case, they began the week as strangers and ended the week as friends. Listening to them interact around the meal table in the evening, one would...
