MiraVista Aids Puerto Rico Response Effort

HOLYOKE — MiraVista Behavioral Health Center employees were among those who responded to local relief efforts to assist Puerto Rico, where homes and infrastructures were heavily damaged on Sept. 18 when Hurricane Fiona, a category-1 storm, hit the Caribbean Island with torrential rains that caused widespread flooding and mudslides and cut power to the entire U.S. territory.

An estimated two dozen people died as a result of the storm, which also struck the Dominican Republic and eventually moved up the Atlantic to devastate Canada’s eastern seaboard with record rainfalls and hurricane-force winds as a post-tropical cyclone.

Holyoke activated its Community Emergency Response Team, comprised of community organizations, city officials, and volunteers, to help with relief efforts in a city where many Puerto Ricans are represented. Boricua care packages were created with items requested in a press release from the office of Mayor Joshua Garcia.

“There were several employees who, shortly after seeing an article on the effort, eagerly expressed interest in helping,” said Kimberley Lee, MiraVista’s chief of Creative Strategy and Development. “By the end of the meeting, we had boxes secured, fliers in production, and a shared willingness to want to help in earnest. We were told that MiraVista’s donations helped ensure there were enough supplies to finish all the Boricua care packages.”

Lee added that “MiraVista is an active partner in preserving the health and well-being of our community, and that includes supporting efforts that are important to our employees.”

MiraVista employees donated more than 100 items, including personal-hygiene products, flashlights, batteries, food, and first-aid products.