Caribbean Hurricane Relief

After one year in the Caribbean, we are excited to provide a comprehensive update on what has been accomplished, and also direct your attention to a wonderful new school project in the works in Dominica! This program page will remain active through the end of the year as our volunteers work hard to complete Charlotte Preschool, providing a safe and resilient learning space for more than 400 students over the next ten years! As the year comes to a close, please consider helping us reach our fundraising goal and help make this wonderful school a reality in Dominica!

For those interested in following our continued work in this region of the world,  we are happy to report that our work in Puerto Rico and the USVI will proceed into the following year. We are honored to share that our USVI team has received recognition from Senator Forde for its lasting commitment to the communities in St. Thomas, and St. John. Our team is starting its fifth school repair in St. Thomas, as response work continues in St. John. We are so grateful that generous donors like you are helping this important work move forward!

Program Purpose: To address the unmet needs of communities affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, in order to improve short-term and long-term chances of recovery. This program, covering several islands in the Caribbean, was developed due the sweeping nature of damage caused by the back-to-back storms. The US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, and Puerto Rico were some of the hardest hit areas, each containing communities that had been overlooked and were often difficult to access. This program worked to address the unique needs of each location, aiding families in the processes of mucking, gutting, and mold sanitizing. When possible, our teams also aided in strategic recovery; they helped the same populations rebuild and repair in ways that will last for years to come. All Hands and Hearts has helped reconstruct permanent facilities for damaged or destroyed schools and homes. At the end of our long term commitments, we hope to have returned hundreds of children and families to a sense of normalcy and comfort in the face of destruction and loss.

Progress: The contributions from you, the generous GlobalGiving donors, made all the work All Hands and Hearts has done over the past year in the Caribbean possible. We are  pleased to be able to deliver near-final reports on our work in Dominica and Tortola, evidence of the incredible impact you have had in the lives of hundreds of children and families. Because All Hands and Hearts is still hard at work in USVI and Puerto Rico, we believe  each should have a spotlight of its own. This report will update you on results to date, but also encourage you to follow our new, stand alone USVI and Puerto Rico pages on GlobalGiving to learn about our recovery goals for those US territories.

In Dominica, All Hands has been focusing its efforts on rebuilding schools and repairing residential roofs. Our first project - rebuilding Paix Bouche Primary and Pre School in St. Andrew Province - is complete. After a festive handover ceremony in August, students and staff are officially able to enjoy their new space. We are now rebuilding Morne Prosper Primary and Pre School in St. George Province, while replacing hurricane-torn roofs in the community. Our main project in Dominica will wrap up at the end of December, but we are actively raising funds for one last school rebuild: Charlotte Pre-school, which, if the funding comes through, will keep us in Dominica through January. Working closely with the Ministry of Education, other NGOs, the schools and the local communities, this essential work has created much safer homes and more appropriate learning environments, which also serve as evacuation shelters for the surrounding communities. In total, this work has positively impacted 130 students. On behalf of the people of Dominica, thank you!

In Tortola, BVI, All Hands and hearts has focused on restoring education to schools affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. With over 3,105 hours of volunteer work, much has been accomplished! Wonder Years Daycare and Preschool, Rainbow Transitional Home and Autism Centre, and Ivan Dawson Primary School are fully functional after flood damage, roof damage, and structural problems have been repaired. Our emphasis on resilient building practices in all the work we do ensures that these structures can weather the next hurricanes. This work has put 161 of students back in school, where they can play and learn safely. Over 3,600 people were positively impacted as a result of your support of volunteer work in BVI. On behalf of the students and families there, thank you!

The people living in the Caribbean were in an unimaginably difficult situation last year at this time. Their homes and belongings had been damaged and destroyed. Their schools were not safe to attend, wind and flood damage visible throughout. Now, because of you, they are well on their way to fully recovering from such destructive storms. You, the compassionate GlobalGiving community, teamed with our experienced and dedicated volunteers have forever changed the lives of so many. We are eternally grateful that you have made it possible for us to participate in such meaningful work. We hope you will continue to follow our work in the USVI and Puerto Rico, where we are working hard to make full disaster recovery a reality for hundreds more. Thank you again for all you do!