CHICAGO — A human chain of students and teachers and Steinmetz College Prep High School, 3030 N. Mobile Ave., filled a semi truck Tuesday with dozens of cases of water, toiletries and first aid bound for the millions of Americans struggling to survive hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico, administrators said.
And the school isn't finished, according to assistant principal Jaime Jaramillo.
"We've collected so much stuff already, we felt like we had to keep it going for the rest of this week," Jaramillo said. "We're just seeing car after car after car, dropping off whatever they can."
Administrators turned the high school's rear garage into a makeshift supply depot on Saturday, and each day since then dozens of students have volunteered to help receive and organize the boxes, Jaramillo said. The supplies will be delivered through the Humboldt Park-based Casa Puertorriqueña, which is coordinating a web of relief efforts this week for the beleaguered U.S. territory.
Carlos Borges, a computer science teacher at Steinmetz, sparked the effort between unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with his family back on the island, Jaramillo said.
"He was patiently waiting to hear from them to see if they were OK, and he felt like he had to do something," Jaramillo said. "So he consulted with some colleagues and students, and everyone felt the same — we can't just sit here and wait."
As of Monday morning, the school had collected 72 cases of bottled water and hundreds of packages of sanitary items, toiletries and baby products, Jaramillo said. Dozens more boxes have been dropped off since then.
Volunteers are also asking for canned foods and C and D batteries, he added.
"To see people of all backgrounds and nationalities come by with this look of compassion on their faces, whether they have boxes or just cleaned out their cupboards — it's amazing," Jaramillo said. "We knew the community would respond, but we didn't expect this big of an outpouring."
The school will receive supplies at its rear entrance, 6136 W. Barry Ave., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day this week until Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Volunteers can also drop off items at the office of Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), 6934 W. Diversey Ave., Jaramillo said.
