New York state will continue its support of Puerto Rico through a mental-health initiative and a Hurricane Maria memorial, according to information from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.
An expansion of the New York Stands with Puerto Rico Recovery and Rebuilding Initiative will deploy 500 additional SUNY and CUNY student volunteers to the island to launch a mental-health component of the program. SUNY and CUNY faculty and graduate students will work with local nonprofit partners to train people to train others on how to provide coping skills to those still suffering from the trauma of and protracted recovery from Hurricane Maria. Additionly, student volunteers will assist nonprofit rebuilding partners to clean, repair and restore damaged homes.
Also last month, Cuomo signed an executive order to create a commission to provide recommendations on establishing a new memorial honoring the victims and survivors of Hurricane Maria and the resilience of the Puerto Rican community, according to the governor’s office. The memorial will be erected in Battery Park City in Manhattan. The commission — comprising artists, community leaders, performers and education experts — was to begin its work immediately and provide recommendations for the site, design and installation by September 2019.
