Beginning with the areas with the highest rate of unmet needs, World Cares Center (WCC) in partnership with Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) will assist hyper local communities in implementing 13 Volunteer Reception Centers (VRC’s) across Puerto Rico.
A VRC is a community hub run by local organizations and supported by volunteer organizations active in disaster and other interested parties. The VRC model is meant to flexibly adapt to the needs of each community, and to empower local communities to actively participate in their own recovery in a safe, coordinated, and effective manner. Investing in hyper local community’s recovery presents an opportunity for a more nuanced and multi-disciplinary approach that can communities forward into resilient rebuilding of their communities.
It is our to help set up a total of 13 centers will be set up across the island, in areas including Humacao, Toa Baja, Culebra, Viequez, Ponce, Utuado or Jayuya, Ceiba, Arecibo, Guaynabo, Comerio, Guayama, Aguadilla, Mayaguez and a hub in San Juan.
In the recovery phase the established VRC’s, WCC and Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) will provide training to volunteers, with lessons including the management of a volunteer reception center, mucking, gutting and mold suppression, disaster volunteer safety, and emotional resiliency for disaster volunteers and supervisors. Through the VRC direct assistance and support to those in urgent need will be provided ensuring that all members of the community are reached and supported. WCC will provide “train-the-trainer” sessions to equip group leaders to deliver both physical and emotional resiliency education and support.
Each VRC will also be prepared to receive support from volunteer organizations. The VRC’s will serve as a point of distribution for supplies and services not limited to medical supplies rebuild activities and mobile medical clinics.
Please contact lorloff@worldcares.org
