MIAMI-DADE – Miami-Dade County Commissioners want to do their part to help Puerto Rico get back on its feet in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
At their Oct. 17 meeting, Commissioners pledged to donate money from their office budgets toward the relief efforts.
“I feel very strongly that as a community we need to be there for them and support them,” said Chairman Esteban Bovo as he pledged $10,000 toward the island’s recovery. “For those that can’t speak, we are speaking for them.”
Citing strong cultural and family ties between Puerto Rico and South Florida, several other commissioners also pledged their financial support, including Vice Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson and Commissioners Javier Souto, Xavier L. Suarez, Daniella Levine Cava, Barbara J. Jordan, Jean Monestime, Sally A. Heyman and Rebeca Sosa, whose family settled in Puerto Rico after leaving Cuba.
Earlier this month, the Commission approved a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz to allow County employees to donate the monetary value of their accrued annual and holiday leave time to the County’s Emergency Disaster Relief Fund for victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
