Join the Texas Lyceum for their Optional Meeting:
"Look for the Helpers: Disaster Response and Recovery in Texas"

June 3-5, 2026, hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Please see below other organizations in PR that are responding to and recovering from the situation on the island. 
The following organizations have done outstanding work as community-based organizations partnering for disaster response, sustainability and resilience with their own specific approaches.

 

CASA PUEBLO
They built a solar microgrid for businesses and residents after hurricane Maria, among many other longstanding projects like the People's Forest School and a volunteer-run coffee farm Madre Isla. These folks are leaders of environmental activism, action, and advocacy in the island, stopping a mining megaproject in the central mountain region in the 1980s. They don't receive government funding for this reason, but a large number of international and national foundations have supported them, some of whom learned about PR issues for the first time after the hurricane. One of its founders, Alexis Massol Gonzalez, won the International Goldman Prize in 2002.  They have a large number of U.S. universities collaborating with them through student internships, community service field trips, etc.

PROYECTO MATRIA
Proyecto Matria aims to eradicate domestic violence and violence against women through a feminist and human rights perspective. They have multiple initiatives promoting women's safety (they manage a DV hotline 24/7 for the entire island) as well as economic empowerment and well being of women. They are one of the lead organizations pushing for greater attention to domestic violence which for an archipelago our size is almost at epidemic levels. Disaster recovery highlighted how much women are at risk during times of heightened family stress. During hurricane Maria's aftermath, they ensured food and basic necessities were distributed to women and families in need across the islands.

TALLER SALUD
Taller Salud is a feminist organization working to improve access to health, reduce violence, and promote economic development in Loiza communities, which have been historically marginalized and racialized. They are one of the boldest and most effective nonprofits doing on-the-ground community change work. Loiza is one of the most vulnerable coastal communities during hurricanes, prone to storm surges and floods. Loiza is also vulnerable to predatory development and gentrification.

CENTRO PARA LA RECONSTRUCCION DEL HABITAT
CRH addresses the issue of abandoned and dilapidated properties across the islands (over 300K homes, plus countless public and private buildings) to turn them into community assets and build long term resiliency. While this is an issue that precedes hurricane Maria, it is highly specialized work requiring expertise across many fields and cross-sector partnerships. CRH is a member of NALCAB.

COPI (Corporacion Piñones se Integra)
COPI aims to promote Afro-Puerto Rican heritage and sustainable economic development in communities which have been historically marginalized and racialized. Besides their arts and culture work (highly recommend their bomba dance classes) and related microenterprises, they have also invested in restoring the mangroves which protect the wetlands surrounding their homes and community. They received support from local and U.S.-based foundations for this work after hurricane Maria, since they are located in a highly vulnerable and ecologically sensitive area, although their ecological protection and education work started many years before hurricane Maria. Their partnerships with state government agencies have taken a lot of time and effort over two decades.

AYUDA LEGAL PUERTO RICO
Among many other issues, their free legal assistance has helped families who have been denied FEMA and other disaster-related federal aid due to lack of adequate property deeds or titles. Disaster recovery has been slow in part due to this issue, as well as having a property in a flood zone or landslide-prone area without proper support for mitigation. There is a network of free legal aid organizations across the islands that offer similar assistance.

TECHOS PA' MI GENTE
Grassroots effort born right after hurricane Maria installing blue tarps and rebuilding roofs, including construction trades training.

COMEDORES SOCIALES PUERTO RICO 
Addressing food access and food justice issues since before hurricane Maria, but seeing significant growth since then due to increased need. They occupied an abandoned building in Caguas to use it as the base of operations for a community kitchen serving anyone in need. They pressured their private equity owners to sell the building at minimum cost to the organization.