Residents of downtown San Sebastian, Puerto Rico had to stay clear of fallen powerlines and debris tossed around by Hurricane Maria as well as numerous sink holes.
Volunteers at Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Florida collect items for displaced schoolchildren.
areas, it immediately collected busloads of community donations to share with those in need. In September, the State of Connecti- cut advised districts to designate students as “unaccompanied homeless youth,” which gives them access to a number of services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, such as free school meals, health care and transportation. “More than a student transportation company, we are a people business, serving our communities and helping others,” said Kate Walden, communications director at National Express. “With more families relocating, student counts are changing and may continue to change.”
American Logistics Company (ALC), a national transportation
coordination provider specializing in students with disabilities and at-risk populations, has been working with school districts from Texas to New York that experienced operational disruption or a spike in student enrollment following the storms. Trough a part- nership with Lyft and its own application, ALC assigns on-demand rides to independent drivers with sedans, SUVs and special-needs minivans. Maritza Valentin, who manages ALC’s business development
efforts, helps transportation operators struck by driver shortages, snow blizzards, and lately, hurricanes. As a Puerto Rican native
living and working in Tampa, Florida, Valentin is also juggling the needs of family members in San Sebastian, a small island town that suffered in Hurricane Maria’s path. Trough a gofundme account, Valentin had raised about $2,500
at this report to send care packages and lamp batteries to islanders. Her goal is to raise $10,000.Tis month, Valentin is traveling to Puerto Rico to help clean schools that have been used as shelters as well as deliver gifts to children for Christmas and for Tree Kings Day on Jan. 6. She said she’ll ask her extended family there if they want to relocate to Florida. Like many students, they are faced with the decision to start new lives elsewhere. “People lost their jobs and schools due to the hurricanes. Tey
have gone to where they have family and friends,” said Valentin. Making matters worse, the island is now experiencing its rainy season, and Valentin said locals are also fearful of mudslides.
RESHAPING FLORIDA COMMUNITIES As hurricane season ended on Nov. 30, Florida saw an influx of victims from Puerto Rico, elsewhere in the Caribbean, Texas, and even other parts of the Sunshine state. Florida waived regulations to let public schools and higher-education institutions admit stu- dents and hire teachers on an emergency basis.
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