Puerto Rico Needs Our Help

You read the headlines, and they’re all saying Puerto Rico might be powerless for 4-6 months.

But do you really understand the magnitude of that?

Do you really?

Right now, as I’m sitting here on Thursday night, there’s thousands of little kids sitting in the dark. They might not have a roof over their heads anymore. Their houses might be totally destroyed. Their refrigerators aren’t running. They might not have much food or clean water to last them the week.

Where are they sleeping tonight? What are they gonna eat tomorrow? What the hell is going to happen to these kids? This is what’s running through my mind right now.

We have to do something to help these kids and their families.

I’m half Puerto Rican, and I’m proud of it. Puerto Ricans are my people. But this is about more than that. Puerto Ricans are our fellow Americans. Puerto Ricans are our fellow man. They need our help.

I’ve been texting my people down there for the past 24 hours, and I get nothing back. It’s the worst feeling in the world. Imagine texting somebody you love and getting no response for more than a day. It’s been days of nothing, and I’m sitting here on pins and needles. I’m just hoping and praying that one person hits me back and gives me some kind of update on what’s going on — let’s me know that everything’s OK.

But I know it’s not OK.

The entire island is dark. But even if we can’t hear it, there’s more than 3 million people down there calling out for help. Imagine your house being powerless for just one hour. Just one day. Just one week. Imagine the young kids you have in your life — your son, your daughter, your nephew, your granddaughter — imagine them being scared and hungry for just one day.

Puerto Ricans are facing the possibility of six months of that kind of struggle. I think about my own family in that situation and I can’t even wrap my mind around it. I can’t grasp it. I know there’s so many different things going on in America and in the world right now that need our attention, but damn … I need your help. I need the help of anybody reading this. We have to help the people of Puerto Rico get the supplies they need to survive day-to-day until their country can be built up again.

I’ve set up a  YouCaring donation page to aid the relief efforts. Any help you can give will get directly into the hands of those who need it — you have my word. I’ve been doing community work on the island for the past 10 years, but this is another level. I’m starting with an immediate $50,000 donation, but I need your help in this fight.

I know to a lot of people reading the news, it’s just a headline. It’s just another disaster. But man, if you’ve ever been to Puerto Rico, you already know the spirit of the people. The joy of those kids. The energy and good vibes you feel the minute you step on the island.

Right now, I literally don’t know what’s happening down there, or if my people are OK, or what the future holds. I know that it’s not gonna be easy. I’m just asking for your help.

To donate, or to find out more information on how you can help, click here.