Local Businesses Rally to Send Aid to Puerto Rico and Caribbean After Hurricanes

In the wake of September hurricanes, locally-owned small businesses are banding together to organize and send aid to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands.

Arroyo Grande, United States – October 3, 2017 /PressCable/ —

Small business owners in one Western Massachusetts city aren’t waiting for others to help Puerto Rico, which was devastated by hurricane Maria last week. Like business owners in other East Coast cities with substantial Puerto Rican populations, they’ve taken matters into their own hands. Over the next 10 days, they will be collecting donations of goods and money for the hurricane-ravaged island, and organizing a contingent of local workers to travel to the Caribbean and physically lend a hand. This kind of response isn’t unusual, according to an expert from online local business directory, FindUsLocal.com

“One thing we see all the time,” a spokesperson for the online business directory said, “is that small business owners are very supportive of each other, even when they’re competing with each other. They band together to form local business alliances, and if one of them is facing a challenge, owners of nearby businesses will often hold fundraisers or assist in any way they can.”

The hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico, the USVI, and other Caribbean islands have also hit many owners of businesses in cities along the East Coast in a very personal way. Many eastern U.S. cities have large Puerto Rican and Caribbean populations with family members still living in the islands. That puts a very personal face on recovery and restoration efforts after the hurricane. Hartford, Worcester, Boston, Atlanta and Washington D.C. are among other cities where similar business alliances have formed to send hurricane aid to Puerto Rico and other islands.

Unlike typical local business directories, Find Us Local also functions as a local landing page where residents of cities and towns across the country can visit to find local news, upcoming events and local business listings, making it a natural place for local business owners and customers to connect with each other.

The most effective local relief efforts have several things in common, according to the local business directory. First, they designate multiple drop-off locations for donations, generally located strategically around the city. In addition, they provide a list of needed items, often culled from family and relatives who are living in the disaster zone. Many of them are also organizing volunteer contractors and skilled laborers to travel to Puerto Rico and help with clearing debris and rebuilding as soon as travel is possible.

“For other local business owners who are considering collecting donations,” the local business directory spokesperson said, “the most needed and requested items include diapers, flashlights, utility knives, cleaning supplies, batteries, and canned goods – and of course, cash donations, which can be used on the ground to purchase other needed goods and supplies.”

About FindUsLocal: FindUsLocal uses geolocation technology in visitor’s browsers to construct a home page focused on their city, town or community. Right there on the front page, they’ll find local weather, sports results for their favorite teams, and announcements of the top musical acts and events coming to their city. Smart business owners list their businesses on the site to be seen by those who are specifically looking for businesses in their local area.

Contact Info:
Name: Matthew Hesser
Organization: FindUSLocal.com
Address: P.O. Box 880, Arroyo Grande, CA 93421, United States
Phone: +1-805-534-9800

For more information, please visit http://www.FindUsLocal.com

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 245600