The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved over $1.9 million to the Department of Family Affairs (DFA) for permanent construction work in its central offices in the Barbosa Avenue in Hato Rey and regional offices at 15 municipalities.
Some the most significant work at DFA’s Central Office is the cleaning, decontamination and archiving, as well as the removal and replacement of contents in the agency's Secretariat, for which FEMA obligated over $1.1 million.
“This obligation of funds results in the benefit of thousands of participants that visit the DFA’s facilities to get assistance for the programs offered by the Agency,” said the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator in Puerto Rico, José G. Baquero.
The Department of Family Affairs is the umbrella agency in charge of providing social services programs in Puerto Rico. These include food support through the Nutritional Assistance Program (PAN, by its Spanish acronym) to approximately 870,000 families, administering Head Start, Early Headstart and Childcare funds, assisting low-income families and ensuring the livelihood and well-being of children and the elderly through various other programs.
“These allocations have a positive impact on the reach of the services directed towards accomplishing a better and more effective participation, equity and social justice in the affected regions,” stated the Family Affairs Secretary, Carmen Ana González Magaz.
Likewise, the Arecibo region of the DFA was allocated nearly $235,000 for similar removal and replacement of contents work. Due to the flooding caused by Hurricane María, this office lost almost all its movable property. This obligation includes work at its offices in Barceloneta, Lares, Las Marías, Manatí, Morovis, Quebradillas, Utuado and Florida.
The multi-service facilities in Bayamón, Ponce, Guayama, Humacao, Mayagüez, Carolina and Caguas also underwent movable property replacement work, for which nearly $181,000 was granted. There, citizens can get educational and preventive social services, which helps reduce the risk factors that cause violence in the family in the form of child neglect, abuse and gender-based violence.
To date, FEMA has obligated over $7.5 million to the Department of Family Affairs for 18 projects, to address emergency work caused by Hurricane María and permanent work.
