DELIVERY

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Felix Fimbres | U.S. Army Reserve soldier, Nicholas Cruz, 1st Mission Support Command, prepares food supplies for delivery to the community of Ad juntas, part of Hurricane Maria relief efforts, in Puerto Rico, on October 6, 2017. Cruz is one of thousands of Army Reserve soldiers who have been asked by Local Authorities to provide vital support to the local infrastructure in order to save lives, prevent human suffering and mitigate great property loss. America’s Army Reserve can provide logistical, medical, and engineering support within hours of a disaster. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Felix R. Fimbres)  

ADJUNTAS, PUERTO RICO

10.06.2017

Story by Sgt. Edgar Valdez 

U.S. Army Reserve Command

FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO - (Oct. 6, 2017) - U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers deliver food during Hurricane Maria relief efforts.
U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers assigned to the 432nd Transportation Company, 346th Transportation Battalion, 166th Regional Support Group, 1st Mission Support Command, delivered food supplies to the Rafael Lull Coliseum, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, Oct. 6, 2017.
After a three hour convoy through several devastated areas of Puerto Rico, trucks loaded with supplies finally reached the coliseum.
The coliseum serves as the centralized distribution point for supplies.
Zulmivette Maldonado, the acting director of the sports and education department for the town of Adjuntas, said that once the supplies are accounted for, they are loaded to trucks that deliver to the surrounding local communities.
“Our mayor has been diligent in trying to find assistance for our community,” said Maldonado. “There are trucks with food and water that arrive on a daily basis.”
Maldonado also said that they are getting trucks with food and water on a daily basis.
Many of the residents of Adjuntas are without potable water and electricity, getting the supplies delivered to their residence helps alleviate some of the struggles they are facing now.
“Many of our residents have little to no cash available to them, so the food and water we are giving them is helping until things return to normal,” said Maldonado.
Staff Sgt. Antonio Alvarado, a motor transport operator, assigned to 432nd TC, said that he has been delivering supplies since Sept. 23, 2017, a few days after Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico.
“As soon as the commanding general called us to report to base for accountability, I laced up my boots and started working on delivering supplies to the community,” said Alvarado. “I am proud to be a part of the delivery of supplies to those that cannot get them on their own to survive.”
He also said that he never thought he would be part of a mission such as Hurricane Maria relief.
Alvarado feels proud to be part of the delivery of supplies to those that are affected by the Hurricane and cannot get the supplies they need to survive.
“I want to thank all the people that are helping us at this time, I also want to let them know that if in the future we can repay everything they are doing for us, we will gladly do it,” said Maldonado.

• Date Taken: 10.06.2017
• Date Posted: 10.09.2017 10:51
• Story ID: 250992
• Location: ADJUNTAS, PR