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From YouTube: Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez, Unidos Pa' PR Give Updates on Puerto Rico Relief 12-11-2017
Description
Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez (7th District) hosted a press conference in City Hall on Monday, December 11, 2017 in which Unidos Pa' PR provided updates on the state of affairs in Puerto Rico.
Unidos Pa' PR is a local coalition organized to respond and provide hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
During the press conference, members of the coalition signed a letter to Congress requesting more financial aid given the continued lack of quality of life on the island and the proposed changes to the tax code which could impact Puerto Rico's economy.
The coalition also provided an update on fundraising efforts, additional disbursement of funds to a new mobile clinic collaborative and the resources distributed to 2,000 families adopted by Unidos.
A
A
I'm
very
proud
to
be
part
of
this
group
and
and
throughout
this
process,
with
continued
to
provide
these
opportunities
through
press
conferences
to
to
give
if
information
and
to
keep
the
process
you
know
transparent,
so
that
everybody
knows
what
what
we're,
what
our
efforts
are
and
how
those
you
know,
decisions
impact
Puerto
Rico.
So
this
is
another
opportunity
again
to
provide
that
update
and
this
events
in
this
these
meetings
and
all
meanings.
We
with
an
invocation
and
I
would
like
to
call
Reverend
Bonnie
Tamar
that
to
do
that
for
us
this
morning,.
B
Let
us
pray
father.
We
just
want
to
thank
you,
because
this
is
the
day
that
you
have
made,
and
we
would
rejoice
because
we
know
that
Puerto
Rico
Puerto
Rico's
levanta.
We
know
that
you
have
Puerto
Rico
in
your
hands.
We
know
that
the
people
who
are
in
Puerto
Rico
are
really
really
just
looking
up
to
you.
They
still
joyful
in
a
matter
when
they
having
a
challenging
time
they
are
still
resilient
and
for
that
Lord.
B
C
Good
morning
off
for
the
past
three
months
since
Hurricane
Maria
took
place,
we
have
come
together
as
a
community.
Nationally
and
internationally,
we
received
donations
equaling
a
little
over
1200.
Individual
donations
have
come
across
from
individuals,
private
donors,
foundations,
schools,
fundraising
efforts
by
local
communities,
nonprofits
and
for-profits
have
really
come
together
and
identified
us
as
the
trusted
entity
to
be
able
to
collect
these
funds
and
distribute
them
as
we
as
a
committee
identified,
where
they're
most
needed
for
the
Puerto
Rico
since
the
beginning.
C
Since
that
time,
we've
put
our
money
to
work,
having
supported
the
Salvation
Army,
having
supported
a
local
clinic
in
Puerto
Rico
with
funds,
we've
purchased,
tarps
water,
purifiers
and
distributed
that
to
the
community
and
really
adopted
2,000
families
in
Puerto
Rico
since
that
time,
giving
them
these
much-needed
essentials.
So
we
can
continue
to
move
forward
and
collect
donations,
especially
through
the
holiday
season
and
as
much
as
we
can
collect
throughout
that
time.
We're
really
gonna
focus
on
providing
as
much
needed
goods
to
this
to
the
community
of
Puerto
Rico
as
possible.
Thank
you.
A
One
of
the
entities
that
has
worked
hand-in-hand
with
Unidos
from
from
the
beginning,
not
only
providing
support
here
in
Philadelphia,
but
also
logistic
and
an
incredible
support
on
the
island
in
a
number
of
different
areas
like
food
distribution
and
and
and
supply
distribution,
has
been.
The
Salvation
Army
and
I'd
like
to
ask
Reverend
Bonnie
camarda
to
come
up
and
explain
that.
B
Well,
everybody
I
think
a
lot
of
people
know
that
The
Salvation
Army
is
always
the
first
one
and
the
reason
we
say
we
are
the
first
one
is
because
we
are
there.
Yes,
even
before
the
hurricane
hit
Puerto
Rico,
we
had
nine
community
centers.
All
those
community
center
has
pastors
or
officers
there.
Plus
we
had
an
office.
I
have
15
employees,
there
is
a
division
of
Puerto
Rico
that
isn't
someone,
but
because
of
that
we
always
say
we
are
there.
Then
we
are.
We
were
there
and
we
will
be
there
after
this
pass.
B
We
have
approximately,
as
of
Friday,
have
served
four
million
meals.
We
have
done
1
million
230
drinks.
That
I
think
is
more
than
that.
We
have
done
filters
to
the
families
and
we
have
been
all
over
the
island
every
week.
Every
day
they
take
a
new
place
on
Friday.
They
were
in
Salinas,
I,
know
that
today,
I'm
not
sure
where
they
going
actually
the
browsing
that
we
can
say
that
right
now
we
have
four
firefighters,
a
group
of
five
of
them
in
Puerto
Rico,
with
the
lead
yoke,
George,
Perez,
jr.
and
they
are
driving.
B
They
were
selected
because
we
needed
to
go
more
into
the
interior
of
the
island
and
because
they
are
training
in
driving
they
they
left
for
two
weeks.
Then
the
Salvation
Army
we
thank
Unidos
since
we
they
have
been
a
major
support,
but
we
are
continue
working.
Our
warehouse
is
important,
say
if
you
wonder,
and
everybody
this
time
around.
On
Friday
we
deploy
20
people
to
Puerto
Rico
from
all
over
the
country.
Philadelphia
got
five,
but
we
have
people
from
California
from
Hawaii
from
Wyoming
all
the
protocol
Rico
to
help
feed
people
in
the
island.
A
But
the
situation
with
Puerto
Rico,
you
know
it's
much
more
complicated
than
than
a
storm
passing
and
the
devastation
of
the
storm.
There
is
a
complicated
relationship,
political
relationship
with
the
United
States
and
one
of
the
efforts
that
we
need
to
continue
to
move
forward
and
to
and
to
try
to
help
the
situation
with
Puerto
Rico
is
political
advocacy
and.
A
Before
the
storms
aggravated
things
even
more
Puerto
Rico
was
already
in
an
economic
crisis
in
an
organization
called
the
national
Porto
Rican
agenda
was
formed
to
provide
a
framework
for
for
those
efforts
locally.
An
organization
called
PA
for
PR
was
also
formed
under
the
umbrella
of
the
national
Porto
Rican
agenda,
and
to
explain
more
the
details
of
that
work.
I'd
like
to
call
to
the
podium,
Nilda
ruiz,
president
of
association,
Porto,
Rican,
SM,
March,.
D
D
They
come
from
the
valleys,
they
just
come
from
everywhere
and
everybody
has
said
presenter
and
we
have
been
able
to
do
this
effort
here
in
Philadelphia
and
that's
not
counting
all
the
efforts
that
are
happening
in
Florida
and
Chicago
and
and
all
the
different
states,
and
even
here,
locally
Allentown
reading
and
all
of
our
other
communities
like
she
said:
kneel
batteries
and
I'm.
The
president
CEO
of
Association
for
30
Kenyans
in
Malta
and
I'm.
Also
the
chair,
I,
have
the
privilege
of
being
the
chair
of
the
national
photo
recon
agenda.
D
The
National
Puerto
Rican
agenda
was
formulated
about
a
year
ago
to
talk
about
the
fiscal
crisis
that
was
happening
in
Puerto
Rico
and
how
that
would
lead
to
humanitarian
crises.
And
then
here
we
have
Hurricane
Maria.
So
it's
been
really
challenging
and
it's
been
wonderful
to
see
people
in
the
Diaspora.
It's
so
committed
to
helping
folks
there
in
Puerto,
Rico
and
helping
those
coming
here,
because
we
have
more
it's
unfortunate,
but
we
have
more
of
a
say
than
the
folks
in
Puerto
Rico.
They
can't
vote,
they
don't
have.
D
They
can't
vote
on
the
president
here
and
they
really
don't
have
a
voice.
So
the
five
million
strong
that
are
here
we
have
to
advocate
for
them.
So
right
so
I'm
very
excited
about
everything
that
is
going
on,
but
one
of
the
advocacy
NPRA
is
a
coalition
of
coalition's
and
the
advocacy
right
now
most
urgent
is
the
tax
reform
that
is
happening
right
now
and
what
we're
asking
senator,
Toomey
and
others
that
are
in
the
in
the
legislation
for
taxes
is
to
do
no
harm
to
Puerto
Rico.
D
We
Puerto
Rico
right
now,
is
considered
a
foreign
country
even
though
that
it's
part
of
the
United
States
and
we
would
like
it
to
be
considered
part
of
the
United
States
and
not
at
the
20%
tax
that
would
be
levied
on
corporations
that
are
foreign.
And
if
that
happens,
we
have
a
lot
of
former
pseudo
coals
there
and
there's
an
estimate
of
a
hundred
and
seventy
thousand
jobs
that
will
be
lost
in
addition
to
the
32,000
jobs
that
already
have
been
lost
due
to
Hurricane
Maria.
D
The
second
thing
is
health
parity,
Puerto
Rico,
even
though
that,
as
part
of
the
United
States
does
not
have
the
same
parity
and
does
not
enjoy
the
same
as
the
United
States
and
the
hurricane
funds
that
we
that
it'd
be
more
equitable
to
Puerto
Rico.
We
see
a
lot
going
to
Florida
and
Texas
and
believe
me,
we
bleed,
and
we
you
heard
for
them
just
as
much
but
Puerto
Rico
is
not
getting
the
attempt
to
do
attention
that
it
should
be
getting.
Thank
you.
A
And,
of
course,
the
reality
is
not
only
that
that
Puerto
Rico
is
u.s.
territory,
but
that
every
single
person
who
lives
in
Puerto
Rico
is
an
American.
Citizen
goes
to
our
sheds
blood
for
the
United
States,
and
yet
they
resolve
this
unfair
disparity
between
the
treatment
of
we
as
Porto
Ricans.
When
we
leave
here
and
we
as
Porto
Ricans
when
we
reside
in
Puerto
Rico.
E
Good
morning,
everyone
we
composed
a
letter
that
is
going
out
to
all
the
congressional
delegation,
Senator
Bob
Casey
Patrick,
to
me:
Robert
Brady,
Dwight,
Evans,
Mike,
Kelly,
Scott,
Perry,
Glenn,
Thompson,
Ryan,
Costello,
Ryan,
Fitzpatrick,
Bryan,
Shuster,
Tom,
Marino,
Lew,
Barela,
Cather
office,
Brendan,
Boyle,
Michael,
Doyle,
Charlie,
dead,
Lloyd,
suckered,
smoker
matthew
cat
right
as
a
duly
elected
representative
of
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania,
representing
the
growing
Puerto
Rican
and
Latino
community.
We
write
to
you
to
seek
the
leadership
and
support
in
2017.
E
Natural
disaster
have
devastated
American
families
in
Florida,
Texas,
the
US
Virgin
Islands
and
Puerto
Rico.
Today,
five
million
Puerto
Ricans
of
the
mainland,
the
a
sport,
are
outraged
of
the
treatment
of
the
3.4
family
members
in
Puerto
Rico
over
the
next
two
weeks.
The
Congress
will
deliberate
hi
will
help
Porto
Rico
through
the
continuing
crisis
that
will
be
under
Eddie
and
long
recovery.
We
asked
you
to
help
us
to
profound
any
human
suffering
in
Puerto
Rico.
E
Please
ensure
that
the
tax
reform
does
not
harm
Porto
Rico
by
rejecting
proposals
that
tree
Porto
Rico
is
a
foreign
country
for
tax
purposes.
Now
more
than
ever,
Porto
Rico
needs
equity.
In
tax
policies
to
ensure
that
it
is
significantly
physical
problems
does
not
worsen
what
the
Rico
needs
access
to
policies
to
help
in
its
rebuilding
effort
that
mitigating
the
losses
and
the
suffering
of
people
by
working
families
in
the
disaster
to
help
them
stay
in
the
island.
E
We
ask
that
you
extend
the
child
tax
credit
to
all
families
and
allow
the
all
eligibility
of
Puerto
Ricans
to
access
the
earned
income
tax
tax
credit
prior
to
the
storm.
A
lack
of
health
care
already
failed
in
the
exodus
of
the
senior
citizens
in
the
mainland
and
the
changes
of
the
Medicaid
policies
can
prevent
the
situation
from
worsening.
E
Please
take
all
measures
to
ensure
that
the
health
care
is
accessible
to
the
Puerto
Ricans
by
removing
the
caps
of
the
federal
Medicaid
funds,
temporarily
increasing
the
federal
medicaid
matching
rate
of
a
hundred
percent
and,
as
was
done
after
Hurricane
Katrina
and
making
Puerto
Ricans
eligible
for
the
same
benefits
of
the
stateside
American
citizens.
Please
per
track
prioritize
these
Astor's
relief
fund
in
the
light
of
the
estimated
95
billion
in
losses
by
appropriating
sufficient
funding
to
restore
housing,
business
and
reconstruct
a
stronger,
more
resilient
infrastructure
to
facilitate
the
rebuilding
process.
E
Additionally,
we
actually
appropriate
funding
to
be
allocated
to
meet
needs
of
those
who
have
very
created
the
island.
We
anticipate
by
2019
Pennsylvania
alone
will
receive
more
than
56,000
evacuees.
Many
organizations
are
working
to
connect
these
individuals
with
help.
We
need
our
federal
government
to
support
them.
E
Finally,
we
asked
to
eliminate
the
Jones
Act
for
at
least
or
way
for
at
least
two
years
to
lower
the
cost
of
imported
goods
needed
to
rebuilding
the
devastation
created
by
Hurricane
Maria
without
presidents
and
caused
some
extraordinary
measures,
and
we
thank
you
for
the
support
for
the
recent
months
and
asked
you
to
help
to
recover
and
rebuild.
Thank
you.
A
F
Good
morning,
I
want
to
thank
everyone.
Who's
been
part
of
this
incredible
journey
for
parity
and
the
humanitarian
relief
to
Puerto
Rican
American
citizens.
I
would
be
remiss
not
to
acknowledge
Joanna
Terrell
crews
are
managing
our
deputy
managing
director,
who
has
led
the
city
efforts
around
relief
services
to
the
refugees
who
have
been
coming
to
the
island
today,
I
joined
with
other
Latino
elected
officials
from
across
the
state
and
I
know
councilman
organic.
F
It
only
is
caught
in
our
76
traffic,
but
joining
us
this
morning
is
councilman
Julio
gutesey,
who
you'll
hear
from
briefly
about
his
relationship
with
Puerto
Rico,
because
I
think
people
forget
that
in
Puerto,
Rico
there's
about
300,000,
Dominicans,
first
and
second
generation
who
are
part
of
the
island
and
Julio
has
a
direct
relationship
with
the
island.
The
lobbying
necessary
to
our
congressional
delegation
is
huge,
as
these
decisions
will
be
made
shortly.
F
He
did
go
and
visit
several
towns
and
we
hope
that,
as
the
only
congressional
person
to
visit
the
island
since
the
hurricane
from
the
Southeast
region
of
Pennsylvania
that
he
would
use
his
role
to
inform
his
congressional
colleagues
about
the
urgency
of
that,
and
so
with
that
I
am
going
to
introduce
a
good
friend
of
ours.
Who's
been
part
of
many
many
battles.
Statewide-
and
you
know
the
interesting
part
about
the
Puerto
Ricans
coming
from
from
the
island.
Philadelphia
is
not
the
only
landing
place.
G
We
formed
the
committee
in
the
Lehigh
Valley
that
had
United
all
those
organizations
that
are
providing
services
to
all
people
and
we
prepare
ourselves
in
in
the
Lehigh
Valley
and
in
the
Allentown
Housing
Authority
board,
and
we
also
worked
with
the
Housing
Authority
easing
some
of
the
requirements.
For
example,
a
family
King
had
who
lives
in
the
housing
authority
in
Lehigh
Valley
for
eighteen
days
to
bring
our
set
a
friend
or
relative
to
live
with
him.
We
change
that.
G
We
is
that
180
days
and
that
we're
working
with
the
careers
link
to
make
sure
that
the
Garin,
pointing
many
of
them
have
really
gotten
employment
in
the
Lehigh
Valley.
We
also
being
able
to
provide
some
housing
to
FEMA
and
also
to
the
Lehigh
County
Housing
Authority.
We
working
with
many
of
the
other
organizations
like
Catholic
Charities
and
the
American
Red
Cross
to
provide
clothing.
G
We're
gonna
have
an
SS
of
500
and
right
now
we're
looking
at
what
more
than
500,000
Puerto
Ricans
coming
to
Pennsylvania
and
we
are
looking
perhaps
having
several
thousand
in
the
Lehigh
Valley,
so
we're
preparing
ourselves
for
that
and
at
the
same
time
we're
sending
some
of
the
support
to
Puerto
Rico
as
well.
So
we
continue
to
advocate
for
that
in
others
and
make
sure
that
we
have
the
right
element
together
here
to
provide
the
services
that
those
families
need
and
miss
Councilwoman
Keanu.
G
Let's
say
that
under
many
candy,
but
we
are
united
in
this
effort
for
Puerto
Rico.
The
Dominican
Republic
government
had
provided
tremendous
amount
of
service
to
Puerto
Rico
in
this
devastation
and
I'm
I
thought
my
stepfather's
Puerto
Ricans
much
system,
Mary
Parikh
and
my
mother,
my
relief
originally.
So
we
are
in
an
interchange,
kind
of
thing.
We
are
part
of
the
family
and
we
this
over
300,000
Dominicans
living
in
Puerto
Rico.
So
as
an
ally,
I
also
asked
all
Dominicans
and
people
from
Latin
America
to
support
for
Rico.
G
F
We
really
want
to
acknowledge
the
counties.
Who've
really
stepped
forward
with
Unidos
PA
for
PR.
As
soon
as
the
the
hurricane
happened
and
they
heard
of
our
local
organizing
efforts,
they
were
quick
to
say
what
can
we
do
to
help
and
this
next
person
that
I'm
going
to
introduce
to
you
Councilwoman
tall,
you
gonna,
get
on
spearhead
if
fundraising,
efforts
and
I'll.
Let
her
speak
to
how
much
money
from
the
Lehigh
Valley
came
to
Annie.
H
Thank
You
Councilwoman
Mary,
quinones
Sanchez,
we
have
like
Julio
mentioned,
and
the
Lehigh
Valley
a
15,000
household
and
heritage
in,
and
we
definitely
got
together
the
minute
that
tells
a
woman
reached
out
to
me,
along
with
Norman,
Bristol
:
and
asked
me.
Let's
do
this
for
Puerto
Rico.
It
was
a
no-brainer
for
me
it
was
easy.
You
know
to
me
Porto,
Rico's
home,
and
this
this
has
been
tough
I.
Had
various
leaders
that
reach
out
to
me
and
say
we
have
to
do
something
and
it
was
very
easy.
H
It
was
Lehigh
Valley
we
had
when
across
political
denominations,
faith
nominations.
You
know
even
cultural,
so
a
group
of
leaders
got
together
and
we
had
a
great
event.
We
actually
just
got
I
had
two
more
checks
that
again
that
got
here.
So
we
keep
on
getting
monies,
but
we
already
gave
Concilio
9300
and
I
have
150
more
that
I
have
with
me,
because
people
keep
on
giving
money
and
and
as
leaders
in
the
community,
everybody
always
asks.
You
know
we
have
a
beautiful,
giving
Lehigh
Valley
in
they
still
asking.
You
know
we
have
clothing.
H
We
have
this.
We
have
that
there
are
many
concerts
have
been
going
on
through
every
weekend,
pretty
much
something
going
on
so
I
think
that's
something
that
we
have
to
keep
on
doing,
because
the
the
help
it's
there
I
mean
the
need.
Is
there,
so
we
have
to
keep
on
helping
there
I
think
maybe
every
weekend
with
there's
something
going
on
in
the
Lehigh
Valley
for
Puerto
Rico.
H
So
we
we
have
to
be
there
and
we
have
to
make
sure
that
our
brothers
and
sisters,
citizens,
brothers
and
sisters
are
in
the
island
to
get
the
help
they
need,
because
we
have
to
live
antara,
Puerto
Rico.
So
to
me
it's
an
honor
to
be
here
and,
like
I
said
it's
a
it's.
A
no-brainer
I
had
to
be
here.
I
had
to
make
sure
that
our
elected
officials
are
doing
what
they're
supposed
to
do
as
well
for
Puerto
Rico,
because
they
are
citizens
to
our
brothers
and
sister
there
in
the
island.
H
A
So
I
think
that
you
know
we
we
are
trying
to
push
forward
to
two
main
themes
here.
One
is
the
crisis
in
Puerto.
Rico
is
still
happening.
There's
still
a
humanitarian
crisis,
there's
still
significant
help
needed.
We
still
need
to
continue
to
work
together,
but
the
other
thing
is
that
political
advocacy
is
critical
to
this,
and
now
I
would
like
to
call
all
the
elected
officials
to
come
around
the
table
and
and
sign
the
official
letter
that
will
be
sent
to.