In response to the tragic devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico native, rapper, producer and “Despacito” singer Daddy Yankee has pledged a personal donation of $250,000 and to raise an additional $1.5 million toward Habitat for Humanity’s plans to help Puerto Ricans repair and rebuild in the aftermath of the storm.
“Seeing the devastation first-hand, I know the reconstruction of my home island will require long-term solutions. I am committed to making sure the largest number of affected families have a safe roof,” said Yankee. “I am making a personal donation to Habitat, and ask you to join me by visiting habitat.org/daddyyankee to make a contribution today.”
With the help of its local office, Habitat is assessing the damage to homes on the island. Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico has been building and repairing homes in the U.S. territory since 1997.
Habitat’s long-term post-disaster recovery efforts include repair of damaged homes and construction of new affordable homes. Construction plans are determined after evaluations and are dependent on the level of support received from donors, volunteers, corporate partners and other community organizations.
“We are grateful to Daddy Yankee for his generous donation and his support in raising awareness of the desperate need to help Puerto Ricans rebuild their homes and their lives,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “Traditionally nearly 80 percent of disaster funds have gone to relief, while only 20 percent to long-term recovery. We are focused on that long-term component, as this will take years to fully recover.”
Habitat has been responding to disasters since 1997 and to date has helped more than 230,000 families in 52 countries through its disaster response work. Following Hurricane Katrina, Habitat organizations along the Gulf Coast built more than 6,000 homes and removed debris and cleaned more than 2,500 homes in preparation for rehabilitation. Habitat also mounted responses to Superstorm Sandy, tornadoes through the South and Midwest, and earthquakes and typhoons overseas.
