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Chicago's Puerto Rican community mobilizes for Hurricane Fiona relief

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Updated  September 20, 2022 9:32pm CDT
Hurricanes
FOX 32 Chicago

Chicago's Puerto Rican community mobilizes for Hurricane Fiona relief

Fiona has strengthened into a powerful Category 3 hurricane as more rain pours over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and one Chicago group is jumping into action.

CHICAGO - Fiona has strengthened into a powerful Category 3 hurricane as more rain pours over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and one Chicago group is jumping into action.

Humboldt Park is ground zero of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and people are rallying Tuesday to help millions in distress in their homeland.

More than a dozen Puerto Rican community leaders and elected officials gathered in the West Side neighborhood to throw their support behind fundraising efforts.

Sponsored by The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago, the group raised nearly $1 million after Hurricane Maria hit the Caribbean island five years ago.

CHICAGO COLLECTING FUNDS FOR PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICAN WREAKS HAVOC

Now, there is a new crisis. Hurricane Fiona dumped up to 20 inches of rain on the island over a 48-hour period causing massive flooding, bridges to break loose, houses underwater and essentially knocking out power to the entire island.

Many in Humboldt Park expressed their frustration with the public utility company Luma Energy, which was given billions of dollars to repair and improve the electrical infrastructure after Hurricane Maria.

WATCH: DRONE VIDEO SHOWS NEIGHBORHOODS IN PUERTO RICO UNDERWATER AFTER HURRICANE FIONA

They said that utility has utterly failed and needs to be held accountable.

"It is a publicly traded corporation and they have received millions upon millions of dollars from the so-called Reconstruction Fund to improve and retrofit and replace the electrical grid in Puerto Rico. What have they done after five years? Absolutely nothing," said Ald. Roberto Maldonado, of the 26th Ward.

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"The people of Puerto Rico need our support. They need our solidarity. But more importantly, they need the money," one speaker said. "And I cannot emphasize that enough. Now more than ever, Puerto Rico will need the financial contributions to begin to once again, rebuild the infrastructure that they need to sustain themselves.

Anyone wishing to contribute, can visit The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago website. Any money donated will be used to purchase water, food and medical supplies, which will be on a plane to the island within the next few days.