Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter, Bay Area fundraisers hold benefit for Puerto Rico
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- From barbecues, to live music concerts, even weekend yoga events -- Bay Area residents are coming together to help Puerto Ricans recover from the devastation left after Hurricane Maria.
RELATED: Puerto Rican community comes together to donate goods after hurricanes
In San Francisco, after the Hurricane hit one Facebook post lead to a group effort which organized the first of several fundraisers to help the island of Puerto Rico. This Friday, a group of techies held a burger and beer barbecue fundraiser at InfoScout in SOMA.
For $10 a plate, guests could help a cause to benefit Puerto Ricans. Many of whom who have no food, water or electricity on the island.
Irma Betancourt has lived in the Bay Area for a year and a half. She moved here for a tech job.She was borned and raised in Puerto Rico. "For every Puerto Rican, we feel like we want to help. It's been so hard trying to get a hold of our family members and finding ways that our efforts can arrive," she said.
Betancourt received a text from her family on Sept. 26 informing her that they are safe. The text was from a random number. There has been no way to follow up since then to check on her Mother and other relatives.
RELATED: How to help Puerto Rico
"So I hope that if they see this, I love them. Mom I love you and I am doing everything that I can," said Betancourt.
She feels helpless and sad, but she and others are determined to help their American brothers and sisters on the island right now.
"They really need us right us, and we haven't forgotten, and we want them to know that," Betancourt added.
In the Tenderloin District, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Draco Rosa is performing at a concert to benefit Puerto Rico.
FULL INTERVIEW: Draco Rosa discusses Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico
"I have had a few people go , 'You know Draco. I bought some tickets but I can't go because I haven't been able to get in touch with my Mom or my uncle and aunts and family members.' Other people come with their kids and families because they want a little piece of Puerto Rico," Rosa told ABC7 News.
Rosa owns a farm in the central part of the island. His home survived the storm but all of his land and crops were damaged.
He held a benefit concert in Los Angles prior to the one in San Francisco. He says he and his band will to continue to do everthing they can to help Puerto Rico bounce back.
Click here and here to learn more about helping those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
