Hurricane Relief & Support
A Message from HCC President Christina Royal:
The hurricanes that struck Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in September 2017 had a powerful impact on Holyoke and Holyoke Community College. Per capita, Holyoke is home to the largest population of Puerto Ricans living in the continental United States. Nearly fifty percent of our city's population is Puerto Rican. As a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, 27% of HCC's student body is Latino, and many of our staff members also come from or have family in Puerto Rico.
While Puerto Rico struggles through a long recovery, HCC has been working to welcome recent arrivals to our community. We are particularly focused on supporting Enlace de Familias, a local non-profit that works with residents from the downtown neighborhoods in Holyoke. These neighborhoods are made up of predominately Latino and low-income families. Enlace assists individuals and families in applying for health care benefits, emergency housing, Social Security and FEMA assistance. If you would like to help, we ask that you consider volunteering with or contributing to Enlace. Yanina Vargas, HCC VP of Student Affairs, is coordinating our volunteer response. Please note that in addition to needing volunteers to help with special projects, Enlace is in need of translators to assist arrivals from Puerto Rico in filling out applications for FEMA and other social services.
With gratitude for your generosity and compassion,
Christina Royal
- Contribute to Enlace de Familias here
- Volunteer at Enlace de Familias by contacting Yanina Vargas at yvargas@hcc.edu
help for those impacted by trauma
Whether you've been affected by the hurricanes or other traumatic events, help is available.
- Students: Access free, comprehensive wellness services through CHD
- Faculty and staff: Explore resources from E4 Health here and here
- Behavioral Health Network support group
- What to expect and how to cope after a traumatic event (in English and Spanish)
- Tips on prolonged stress reactions (in English and Spanish)
- City of Springfield Hurricane Maria Recovery Resource Guide
