EMERGENCY
"FILLING THE GAP BETWEEN FIRST RESPONSE AND NO RESPONSE"
Natural disasters can strike without warning, leaving communities vulnerable and in desperate need of immediate assistance. Dorado Cares stands ready to provide emergency disaster relief through effective response plans, resource distribution, and support services aimed at helping families recover after a crisis. Puerto Rico’s history has shown us the importance of preparedness and rapid response, and we need your support to enhance our capacity to respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. Together, we can ensure that no family faces hardship alone during difficult times. Our Emergency Mission is to provide, in essence, a “Second Responder” service — deploying a pre-established, pre-trained team of Dorado Cares volunteers to meet community needs after police, fire, and other First Responders have left, and before FEMA and other government aid arrive. We are the gap between first responders and no responders.
CHAIRMAN: David Martínez - Phone: 904-651-4721 Email: david@doradocares.org
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: TBD
BENEFICIARIES: Municipality of Toa Baja
PROGRAMS
Program 22:
Emergency Warehouse Supplies & Equipment
Program Overview
Dorado Cares has taken a major step forward in our Emergency Disaster Relief Mission by moving our operations into a fully renovated, large commercial warehouse that now serves as our central hub for disaster readiness. This facility has been purpose-built to store, organize, and deploy the most critical supplies and equipment needed in the immediate aftermath of hurricanes, earthquakes, and other emergencies. With secure, racked storage and full redundancy of power, water, and fuel, this warehouse stands ready to serve as the heartbeat of our second responder efforts across Puerto Rico.
Inside, we have stocked—and continue to stock—large quantities of lifesaving essentials: food, water, clothing, bedding, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene kits, and fuels like diesel, gasoline, and propane. These supplies are given away free to individuals and families in need during times of crisis. But Dorado Cares is not only providing consumables—we are building real, on-the-ground response capacity. Our fleet now includes excavators, dump trucks, skid steers, generators, light towers, forklifts, trailers, and specialized tools, all ready to be deployed for our three-prong mission of Access, Clearing, and Clean-up.
This warehouse is more than a storage space—it is a fully equipped emergency headquarters, co-located with our new volunteer-operated commercial kitchen, allowing us to both feed and support communities in disaster zones. Every piece of equipment we own is maintained in operational readiness by dedicated volunteers, ensuring we can respond at a moment’s notice. The facility allows us to work strategically, getting aid to the right places faster and more effectively, when it matters most.
Our work in disaster relief never stops. Every emergency depletes supplies, and every item given away must be replenished. This is why donor support is so vital—your contributions allow us to restock our warehouse, fuel our operations, and maintain the readiness that saves lives. Whether it’s providing bottled water to families after a hurricane, clearing blocked roads so first responders can reach the injured, or powering critical infrastructure with our generators, your support makes it possible.
We also welcome anyone who wants to serve as part of our trained Second Responder Volunteer Corps. We provide the training needed to safely operate our diesel-powered equipment and other relief tools. Volunteering with Dorado Cares means stepping into the field when your community needs you most, working side by side with neighbors to restore safety, dignity, and hope. Together, we can ensure Puerto Rico is never left waiting for help. This is our mission, and we invite you to make it yours.
Program 8:
Hurricane Preparedness
Program Overview
In recognition of the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, Dorado Cares launched Program 8 - Disaster Relief Preparedness in 2024. This multi-year initiative reflects our commitment to proactive disaster management by strategically establishing a warehouse filled with essential emergency relief supplies. Instead of scrambling to secure resources in the face of an impending storm, or waiting on FEMA relief months after an event, we have taken the innovative step of building a robust inventory in a climate-controlled, secure facility. This foresight allows us to respond swiftly and efficiently when communities need assistance the most. In 2024 alone, Dorado Cares invested $25,000 into this critical program, and we are dedicated to expanding our contributions moving forward, with plans to donate between $100,000 and $250,000 each year. These funds will be utilized to ensure that our inventory is not only ample but also diverse, catering to various needs that arise in disaster situations. Currently, our supplies include bottled water, non-perishable food items, water purification tablets, fuel, cookware, clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, tents, tarps, cleaning and hygiene supplies, flashlights, generators, medical necessities, baby food, and diapers, among other crucial items. By maintaining a well-stocked inventory, we enable ourselves to serve communities effectively in the aftermath of a disaster.
Dorado Cares recognizes that preparedness does not stop at securing supplies. Each year, we will assess and expand our inventory, continuously adding to our reserves to ensure we are ready to deploy assistance when needed. Looking to the future, we aspire to enhance our capabilities further, potentially incorporating emergency response vehicles, cleanup trucks, and additional resources for first responders. Our goal is to create a comprehensive disaster relief program that empowers us to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by natural calamities. We believe that through our efforts, we can help communities rebuild and recover, ensuring that no one faces these challenges alone.
Impact Statements
Program 1:
Hurricane Fiona Relief 2022
Program Overview
Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 18th, 2022. Dorado Cares Inc. was established as a 501C3 and 1101.01 by the residents of Dorado in response to this natural disaster. The immediate goal was to get emergency aid into the hands of people impacted by this hurricane. The Dorado community responded quickly in October 2022 and raised cash donations and in-kind donations of $70,000 enabling Dorado Cares foundation to provide to the flooded communities of Toa Baja canned and boxed food items, water, Covid-19 test kits, KN95 masks, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, gloves, cleaning supplies, stoves, ovens, cook tops, microwaves, cooking utensils, personal hygiene supplies and twin bed sets and mattresses. Dorado Cares foundation successfully impacted over 300 families in 45 communities.